Overview

• Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg found the 18% reduction carried out in March left prices unchanged or higher, amounting to a 20–21% covert increase for Mars Minis.
• Several other Mars products, including M&Ms, Twix minis, Snickers minis and Bounty minis, have undergone similar pack size cuts without any price drop.
• Since 2009 the cost of Mars Minis has risen by 121%, significantly exceeding Germany’s roughly 37% inflation rate over the same period.
• Mars GmbH defends the move by citing global inflation pressures and higher raw material and production costs as the drivers for the downsizing.
• The consumer group is urging lawmakers to tighten regulations against shrinkflation and encourages shoppers to report suspect packaging online.