Have you ever picked up a packaged food product, glanced at the ingredients, and felt like you needed a chemistry degree to decipher what's inside? Yeah, me too.
At a previous job, I was asked to help with a food account because our team had a large workload with a short timeline. One of my tasks was to review updated product copy before sending it to the client for approval. This particular project involved revising the ingredient list for a well-known product that I occasionally used myself.
To cut costs, the company was removing key ingredients and replacing them with cheaper, processed alternatives. While these changes may have saved them money, they altered the taste and nutritional value of the product. Instead of using real, high-quality ingredients, they opted for fillers and artificial substitutes.
And this isn't just a one-time occurrence—it's happening often with several of our favorite products, and we are left out of the loop.
If you've been paying attention, you might have noticed the decline of quality.
- Some chocolate bars now list sugar as the first ingredient—not cacao, but sugar! What happened to the rich, deep flavor we once loved?
- Colors are duller. Products that used to be vibrant, rich, and full of natural pigments now look pale and lifeless. Many brands are cutting back on quality ingredients that once gave them their signature look.
- Portion sizes are shrinking. Remember when a box of pasta weighed a full pound? Now, many brands have quietly reduced it to 12 or even 10 ounces—while keeping the price the same. You might not even notice until you start cooking and realize you need two boxes to make the same meal.
- "New and Improved" often means "Cheaper and Worse." Ever buy your favorite product only to find that the flavor or texture has changed? Companies rework recipes to cut costs, but the result often isn't better—it's just more profitable for them.
- Sneaky shrinkflation. Sometimes, the price stays the same, but the package size subtly shrinks. That orange juice that used to be 64 ounces? Now it's 59. That yogurt that used to be a full cup? Now it's 5.3 ounces. Most consumers don't notice at first, but over time, we're paying more for less.
We are asking why? It all comes down to corporate cost-cutting and the pressure to maintain profit margins. Raw materials and production costs have increased, but instead of simply raising prices, companies tweak recipes and reduce portion sizes—hoping consumers won't notice.
They gamble hoping that we won't care enough to stop buying. But we are noticing, and many are making changes.
- Read ingredient labels carefully. If you notice changes, compare them to older versions. The fewer artificial additives and preservatives, the better.
- Call out companies. Social media is a powerful tool. If enough consumers voice their frustration about a product's declining quality, brands will take notice.
- Support brands that maintain quality. Some brands resist cost-cutting measures and prioritize quality over profit margins. Show them your support by voting with your wallet.
- Shop smart. Newer products coming to market are putting health and better-for-you products back in the market. People with backgrounds not in the food industries and quitting their jobs and creating products that they want to eat and want to share with us. Look for those products for a healthier you. Also, sometimes store brands offer better quality than big-name brands. Try different options and see if you can find a better alternative.
At the end of the day, wouldn't you rather pay a little more for the product you originally fell in love with than settle for a watered-down, inferior version? I know I would.
What about you—have you noticed any of your favorite products changing? How are you handling this?