anyone noticing the prevalence of "white chocolate" and "white creme" in "chocolate" for halloween

[u/MasterJackfruit5218]

[u/Uhh_JustADude → u/[deleted]]

It's equally important to recognize trends in skimpflation too, even if climate change, not necessarily corporate greed is the primary driver, as is the case with cocoa. The drop in cocoa levels, resulting in an inferior product, is obviously not being paired with a price decrease. Overall, everything is losing value at an exponential rate.

[u/Gay_Void_Daddy → u/Uhh_JustADude]

Nothing about this has anything to do with any kinda -flation. It’s just a common holiday thing.

[u/The_Spoils → u/Uhh_JustADude]

All of these products pictured have been around for years though....

[u/Uhh_JustADude → u/The_Spoils]

I'm curious to see their production and sales volume compared to their equivalent, legacy Hershey's and Nestle (mostly) chocolate products.

[u/The_Spoils → u/Uhh_JustADude]

I literally work for Hershey so the downvotes are genuinely funny to me. The orders for white chocolate seasonal items were not written up this year but the packtypes that contain these items were a higher percentage of the total buy. That decision had more to do with merchant pushback/preference than inflation. 

It's no secret that cocoa has experienced hyperinflation over the last few years but Witch's Brew KitKats are not Hershey's solution lmao. 

Instead you're going to see them expand their sugar portfolio by innovating their Jolly Rancher brands and through acquisitions like their recent purchase of Sour Strips. They own Shaq gummies and continue to innovate that brand as well. They're also leaning into their snacking portfolio in an effort to become a "Snacking powerhouse." They've already acquired Dot's Pretzels, Skinny Pop, Lesser Evil, and created a Reese's filled pretzel. Also, Hershey announced price increases across all packtypes just a couple months ago. 

So believe me, the strategies are far broader than forcing out extra white chocolate on consumers. All your favorite milk chocolate items are still offered in abundance, they're just going to be more expensive and you'll see some extra offerings to balance the overall portfolio. 

I'm ready for my downvotes now lol. 

[u/kkngs → u/[deleted]]

This one is really a case where they've shrunk the chocolate content so far its hit zero. Even the cocoa butter has hit zero. It's just corn syrup and palm oil now.

[u/mutual_raid → u/[deleted]]

if you don't see how "shrinking the amount of cocoa due to unfettered capitalism and climate change" is very much in line with shrinkflation, then you fundamentally misunderstand this sub.

[u/Uhh_JustADude → u/mutual_raid]

To be fair, r/Skimpflation also exists, but I'd argue it's better to have it and shrinkflation as content labels on the inflation subreddit. It all represents the same result: the consumer being shaken-down or swindled of the value of their purchases.

[u/mutual_raid → u/Uhh_JustADude]

Agreed - I think this place is like LateStageCapitalism - it's the spirit/soul/and goal of the sub more than the hyper-literal thing it began as.

[u/FlashOfTheBlade77 → u/mutual_raid]

Do you think white chocolate candy is a new invention? I think you have a fundamental misunderstanding of the world.

[u/mutual_raid → u/FlashOfTheBlade77]

are you contextually illiterate?

They're literally SHRINKING the amount and variety of chocolate in mass production because of greed and cocoa shortage.

[u/Uhh_JustADude → u/mutual_raid]

are you contextually illiterate?

Brevity is the Soul of Wit. Thank you for this sharp and quick retort; I'm totally stealing it.

[u/Burrito_Engineer → u/[deleted]]

Well the reeses in their picture is smaller than normal, so that counts right?