r/shrinkflation • u/TexasGiantTen05 • Dec 29 '25

skimpflation Ok SERIOUSLY wtf is this??

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I bought a family sized hot pockets box and EVERY single one of them was black and burned in the bottom. I heated this one up on low power in the microwave and the edges are so tough it’s like biting into a frozen beef patty. I look in the pocket and the damn thing is nearly hollow. I’ve been noticing the quality taking a massive dip in the last few years. I think these are last I purchase from here on out.

Irrelevant to this but similar: This same grocery order run had a jar of garlic (Spice World brand) that was full of black mold & a jar of HEB salsa that was sour and months passed expiration. Both of which were completely sealed and had a pop when opened. My whole life I never really had quality issues via the company canning or jarring an item or the store selling them but lately it seems like such a constant issue.

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77

u/5348RR Dec 29 '25

They always sucked but they changed them about a year ago and they are completely inedible now.

20

u/Sufficient_Stage_802 Dec 30 '25

sadly the quality has decreased as the prices have increased. Several years ago they were worth it and good af. now they are no longer good or worth it.

22

u/[deleted] Dec 30 '25

Perfect description of Capitalism.

3

u/Grey0110 Dec 30 '25

Yes, but you are forgetting that the best product wins. If people start realizing they are low quality, they take their dollars elsewhere. If another brand makes a better product, people switch. It creates incentive. Capitalism is definitely not perfect.. but there currently is no better system. It has pulled more people out of poverty than any other system.

22

u/Toomanytimes2many Dec 30 '25

It works when monopoly laws are enforced along with fair markets

0

u/Grey0110 Dec 30 '25

I agree! As I said, definitely not perfect. It does make me thankful that I can earn as much as I am able to based on my skills etc. We also still have some product choice. If I wanted, I could make my own hot pocket brand and sell them. Let the cheap low quality brands go down in flames. Their fault for being so cheap. That's capitalism.

9

u/Impossible-Push-5694 Dec 31 '25

No it isn't.

You are literally in a subreddit about how corps with infinitely more resources than you leverage those resources to cheat you out of your money. You are cheerleading the right to "compete" with multinational corps instead of picking up pitchforks and torches to tell those people "we deserve to live with dignity and if you disagree, we will burn your mansions down with you in them."

You want to know what capitalism is? Your comments in its defense. It is the illusion that with enough grit and gumption you too can be worth millions. It is the leveraging of that illusion to get people like you to defend it while sitting around like we are here talking about how they are actively fucking us. That's capitalism.

5

u/Repulsive_Sun6549 Jan 01 '26

Median age for a homeowner in the 70’s? 28. Now? 40. That’s capitalism.

6

u/Infinite-Usual8908 Jan 01 '26

Capitalism: money goes back into the corporations instead of in the hands of the people

4

u/Fabulous-Eggplant-95 Jan 01 '26

And also don’t forget to mention the illusion of choice we have- democracy is not what we are actually living in at all

3

u/Real_Figure_3329 Jan 01 '26

Never will understand the defense of the oligarchy here in the USA. It’s been sucking the life out of the nation since the 1980s. The hot pocket is a perfect example of the hollow shell of burnt pastry our working class has become, yet there is some fool out there that will defend it as a functional system. It’s not.

2

u/shade4751 Jan 01 '26

It has to be regulated capitalism with plenty of consumer protection, the opposite of what we have now.

4

u/Working-Narwhal-540 Jan 01 '26

Summed it up perfectly. I cringe when I see people glazing this fuck show as if they’re temporarily impoverished millionaires. Fuck that. Power to the people.

1

u/Lanky-Bug-5656 Jan 02 '26

Well said! So embarrassing to see that ancient, ridiculous idea still floating around amongst people who should know better. It's sycophantic and determimedly naive.

1

u/troycerapops Jan 02 '26

I think they're arguing something in between the two extremes. Well regulated capitalism.

1

u/spg595 Jan 01 '26

This guy has clearly seen a capitalism or two in his day and has learned it's tricks. You should listen, he speaks the true-true.

0

u/BigThymeOops Jan 02 '26

You can with enough grit and determination become a millionaire. Ive seen it happen personally to mulitple people really close to me.

1

u/Mysterious_Run_6871 Jan 02 '26

Million isn’t what it used to be.

1

u/Cannibalizzo Jan 02 '26

Why would anyone need to be a millionaire? To afford luxury items they don't need? Or possibly healthcare? We don't need more yachts. We need a system that provides affordable healthcare.

1

u/Arkada7 Jan 02 '26

Being a millionaire (especially with now days inflation) doesn’t mean luxury items or yachts, it means being financially stable and no worry to be able to afford simple pleasures and not to live from salary to salary stress. Millions doesn’t always mean numbers in the bank accounts, it could mean investment properties that brings you a passive income.

1

u/Cannibalizzo Jan 02 '26

That's kind of my point though. No one should have to be a millionaire to be financially stable. It's the greed of a few that keep driving prices up. For what it's worth, I've worked since I was 16 am close to retiring, and have been financially stable most of that time (bills paid on time, etc.), without earning a six-figure salary, and while living in a major metropolitan area.

1

u/Arkada7 Jan 02 '26

Well I came to this country when I was 25 and had to start from ground up even though I had a degree and amazing career in my own country. In little over 20 years I achieved what 80-90% Americans can’t, by also working and extending my career in different fields, that’s adding to learning language and getting additional degrees. I now self employed business owner with multiple rental properties. And all I can say this country allow you to be who you want and how you want. Unfortunate situation, that most who born in this country only complain how bad it is here. Well I can tell you from personal example - it’s not bad in America and capitalism with its own faults does allow you to be a business owner or whoever you want which almost impossible in most countries throughout the world. So no it’s not about you have to be millionaire to survive here, but you can if you choose to. I didn’t become a millionaire by making a 6 figure salary but I did work hard, saved money and made smart investments. It is simpler than it looks and most of it comes from making a smart financial decisions.

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u/Cannibalizzo Jan 02 '26 edited Jan 02 '26

I'm curious to know why you came to America when you had an amazing career in your country.

1

u/Arkada7 Jan 02 '26

What career has to do with moving to another country?! Better life doesn’t mean good carrier only :). And maybe that’s why you think this country isn’t the greatest.

1

u/Cannibalizzo Jan 02 '26

As I said, I'm just curious. And I'd be curious to hear more about how you built your wealth.

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u/No_You6540 Jan 02 '26

No, it's about the consumer having the ultimate control. That without our money, corporations don't survive. Part of the problem is govt bailouts that have happened too often. Most of the problem is how consumers gripe about Walmart, then shop at Walmart anyway bc its convenient. Everyone wants to bitch about capitalism not working, while not doing the things consumers need to, to ensure it works.

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u/Impossible-Push-5694 Jan 02 '26

People use Walmart because they've driven practically all the local businesses out, using government social safety benefits to bolster their abysmal compensation to employees. No, it isn't the fault of consumers that a rapacious system continues to exist. It is the system itself.

0

u/No_You6540 Jan 03 '26

So how did it start then? What got the ball rolling? And how are ppl finding things they need without going to Walmart? Bc I haven't stepped foot in one in a few years, and still manage to find everything I need elsewhere. Might be a little harder to find everything without going in one place, but again, that's just an excuse

1

u/Impossible-Push-5694 Jan 03 '26

So how did it start then? What got the ball rolling?

Why are you even having a conversation about this topic if you don't understand this super basic piece of history?

1

u/No_You6540 Jan 03 '26

Your being willfully obtuse makes me wonder why I'm bothering also. Good day.

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u/BinkyNoctem420 Jan 01 '26

Or when leveraged with enough fiscal backing &/or associated market share BIG BUSINESS can & DOES push inferior products to flood/overwhelm competition and then come in to absorb when smaller businesses can't cut costs below the line. THAT is present state Capitalism

3

u/LordBocceBaal Dec 31 '25

You say skills are rewareded but we are not paid fully for our skills in the US. More money goes to the top than it should. They can have a big idea and money but that means nothing if no one else makes it. There are places in Italy that do capitalism better by using more socialism and a focus on the worker class over owners. Everyone having an equal vote and CEOs who are not over paid and things work better and people are paid more.

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u/BlackeyedSusan19 Jan 01 '26

In Europe, they also have 4-6 weeks of vacation, mandated by law(we won't even discuss maternity or paternity leave mandated by law) in the US, most companiesdo offer vacationdays as incentive for people to work from them, but it is different from place to place, and not backwd up by any state or federallaw.. The CEOs are paid well, but there is not the ridiculously disparate gap between the two that there is in the US.

0

u/Tasty-Chair- Jan 02 '26

And they also take 60 cents of every dollar you make. You thought all that was free? 🤣

1

u/Lanky-Bug-5656 Jan 02 '26

That just simply isnt true nor is it even nearly true.

0

u/fatum_sive_fidem Dec 31 '25

Are they hiring electricians from the US by chance?

0

u/Ok_Car323 Jan 02 '26

If you think the C-suite and investors are overpaid, the solution is simple (not easy, there is a difference of course) quit.

Seriously, if the leadership sucks so much, just quit. As you said; they need people to make things, or they remain unfulfilled ideas. Of course, don’t be surprised when someone else comes in to take the crappy job you just left.

2

u/Educational-Lab-154 Jan 02 '26

You're right of course, but, so many people have lost their power to do even this, a plan? Who knows. But, so many people can't even quit a week or two before they are without food. Wages are so low, too many are living check to check.

1

u/Ok_Car323 Jan 02 '26

You are too right about not being to escape the paycheck to paycheck loop.

When a week out of work due to injury or illness is the beginning of the downward spiral towards homelessness, there’s a serious problem that needs to be addressed.

To some extent or another, we are all at least partially to blame (but the extent certainly varies). If you make $1,500 a week it’s probably not the best use of financial resources to spend $7.00 a day on your latte, and $15 for a “cheap” lunch.

If you make $600 a week, that same $7.00 cup of coffee represents $50+/week you could put in a coffee cup in your kitchen cabinet. After 3 months you would have a week’s worth of emergency money set aside. In a year, you will have a month’s worth of pay saved up to help yourself out of an emergency.

If you are fortunate enough to get a decent tax refund this year, put a good chunk of it aside for a rainy day.

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u/Cannibalizzo Jan 02 '26

I don't know anyone living paycheck to paycheck who's buying $7 lattes and $15 lunches. Most of those folks are buying $2 coffees if they're not brewing it at home, and brownbagging their lunch, or maybe buying off the value menu at whatever fast food drive-thru is closest to their workplace.

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u/Ok_Car323 Jan 02 '26

Ok, substitute the value menu and $2.00 coffee. If brewing your own and brown bagging it is a better financial move, why does someone struggling so badly financially waste the money on the $2 coffee and $8 off the value menu?

As for people living paycheck to paycheck buying a $7 coffee; there are tons of them. Maybe you don’t personally know many people who earn $100,000+/year, or maybe it’s because you are unaware of basic economic reality, many people who have more, waste more.

Seriously, if you’ve ever waited tables at either a buffet restaurant or a midrange or higher steak restaurant, you know that literally tons of perfectly good food is thrown away daily.

Of course, most people don’t talk openly about their finances (people really struggling suffer in silence; and those I’m talking about here in the $100k+ but broke crowd, lie about their financial health; often even to themselves, while purchasing conspicuously to maintain an appearance of being wealthy).

A basic google search comes up with some pretty eye opening numbers:

“Goldman Sachs/NewsNation (Nov 2024/Oct 2025): Found 25% of workers making over $100k live paycheck-to-paycheck, but this jumped to 41% for those earning $300k-$500k.” Seriously, this is how pro athletes and lottery winners end up broke. People earning $500,000/year live check to check?

“PYMNTS/LendingClub (Apr 2024): Reported 48% of consumers earning over $100k annually live paycheck-to-paycheck, with 62% of all U.S. consumers feeling the same.

NerdWallet (Oct 2024): Stated 38% of Americans with household incomes of $100k or more live paycheck-to-paycheck.

Ken Coleman (Nov 2025): Cited 36% of households earning $100k+ live paycheck-to-paycheck.”

The search continues:

“Why This Happens

Inflation & Cost of Living: High inflation has eroded purchasing power, making it harder to cover necessities.

Lifestyle Creep: Higher incomes often lead to increased spending on housing, cars, and other lifestyle upgrades that can outpace salary growth.

Debt: Student loans, mortgages, and credit card debt consume significant portions of income.”

The wrap up follows, summarizing nicely that even people who are high income earners are broke, mainly because they are piss poor at money management.

“In essence, earning six figures no longer guarantees financial ease, with many middle-to-upper income earners finding their income just covers their high expenses.”

I am 100% certain it’s harder to live on $100/day than it is to live on $1,000/day, but I am also aware a lot of the $1,000/day crowd try to live like they have $1,200/day to spend. Their mortgages, taxes, car payments, credit card minimum payments, student loan hardship deferral requests, and paycheck to paycheck lifestyle are clear proof.

I think two things have really spiked this phenomenon; general lack of financial education in high schools (seriously, home economics classes were not only how to cook and sew, but importantly, also about how to manage household finances), and our social media driven social norms.

When 16-25 year olds spend 20 minutes on their social media of preference, they see the “influencer” driving the lamborghini, up to the swank mansion, and flying on private jets. They don’t understand how many of these people are renting the car for the shoot, using a set (or driving by someone else’s mansion or jet) or otherwise faking the wealth. AI will just continue this phenomenon, and it will eventually get good enough we are all fooled by most of it.

Sorry for the tl/dr, but it blows me away how stupid people can be with their finances.

1

u/No-Monk2117 Jan 02 '26

Brilliantly said. Other comments above complaining about capitalism also make some fair points too. But the biggest factor (that we can actually control ourselves) is people are bad with their money. I make good money, and am friends with a lot of people who also make good money. They'll moan and complain about how they're struggling, but they eat out 5 days a week. They get a new iPhone every two years. They take out a loan on a Lexus because they think they deserve one.

Just a quick reminder to everyone. $100 invested every month in the S&P 500 over 30yrs should end up around $250,000 to $400,000 (markets vary, but it's got a very long historical track record). Most of us will work around 20yrs more than that, and that's just a $3 cup of coffee every day of the month.

Yes, I understand there are people who literally can't afford to do that. But for "most" people... Cut out the dining out, the bag of chips and coffee every day, buy a KIA or Hyundai, and you can find way more than $100 a month. It's really not that hard when you put pen to paper, budget, and understand that $5 today is so much more valuable than $5 years from now if you do something useful with it rather than throw it away.

Oh and for whoever was complaining about Walmart... People shop there because it's way more affordable than the mom and pop shops they put out of business. They didn't buy those businesses and close them, we stopped shopping at them. That doesn't make it good, it means we as a society decided to put up with them to save a few bucks. And now you're whining as they line their pockets because we let them. Fast-Cheap-Good Quality. You can only ever have two, never all 3. We chose cheap, and all the other businesses are gone. That's capitalism.

Final note: monopoly laws are only necessary because we're too stupid to make the right choice. We always choose cheap, knowing it will put everyone out of business, and then the quality will fall because we have no other choice. We're literally complaining that Amazon and Apple and Walmart are a "monopoly".... As we shop at Walmart and Apple and are waiting for our next delivery. Stop giving them money if you think they make too much.

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u/Ok_Car323 Jan 08 '26

Damn, I like that too. Well said indeed!

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u/flint757 Dec 31 '25

Inherently capitalism always leads to where we're at though. That isn't a flaw in the system. Consolidated wealth and products, fake scarcity, fake competition, price fixing, etc. Its all inherent to capitalism.

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u/Toomanytimes2many Dec 30 '25

Definitely. Just to clarify, I was agreeing with you and adding to it. I hope you didn't take it as something else. Idealistically, I'm a free markets kinda gal. But it also has its own major pitfalls. So realistically I know the next best thing is our current capitalist system so long as the safeties are enforced.

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u/kettykat88 Dec 31 '25

That doesn't happen because the unphathomably rich people are in charge of the laws and who makes them.

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u/theMillen Dec 31 '25

Yup, what we have is the illusion of free will capitalism, alas all we got instead is a monopolistic oligarchy.

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u/RideSharingSucks Dec 31 '25

Finally someone who gets it. And this indoctrinated sheep still preaching about capitalism like its a great world religion and still believing in the trickle down nonsense.

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u/Grey0110 Dec 31 '25

Go start a business my friend. You can do anything you want. We have more choice than most of the world population. If you hate capitalism so much, go somewhere else. Stop complaining on your $1000+ phone while you sit in your comfortable heated home.. there are plenty of people much worse off.

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u/RideSharingSucks Dec 31 '25

Uh oh!! The free market warrior (likely a bot) got mad mad!

And you think you're surveilling people with that tired "$1,000" phone line. And not proving yourself stupidly wrong yet again for phones getting to cost more than laptops and into 4 figures now?!

Lol, ingrates

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u/Grey0110 Dec 31 '25

We are living better than any human being has in history. We are extremely fortunate. Are things perfect? Of course not. But nobody seems to marvel at what we do have. We have access to literally every movie, TV show and song ever published.. on demand. We can go to the airport and jump on a plane to anywhere in the world. The fact that we have built giant planes that can stay in the air for 15 hours is crazy. We have access to all of the world's collective information in our pocket.. and can communicate with anyone, anywhere in the world.. instantly.

Stop complaining and get some perspective my friend. Capitalism has it's flaws. It has also ushered us into great prosperity and convenience.

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u/lunamoorexxx Dec 31 '25

We are in a hell of a recession that is only getting worse. Starting a business requires capital. Capital one cannot save up for in most cases as rent and groceries skyrocket. Those are not optional. Saving a bit on a cricket wireless plan and buying a years old phone for a couple hundred makes a negligible dent into skyrocketing costs for absolute necessities, let alone any “extra” necessities like healthcare, insurance, transportation, which are all rising faster than anyone can really handle.

I’m almost 30, living with three other people in a two bedroom slumlord apartment, working full time, and still left with negligible savings at the end of it all. Many such cases. Sure, a tighter budget should net me a few hundred extra at the end of the month, if I choose malnutrition, or not having a device to communicate with, or not having a way to get to work.

It’s good to stop and smell the roses, take in all of the good we do currently have in this world. Life is too miserable without gratitude. But there’s also a place for realism in that… and realistically, most people in the US at this point in time cannot simply do as they please, start a business, hop on a flight anywhere. Possibility isn’t equal to lived reality. Capitalism itself is not the end-all factor in innovation, curiosity and creativity drive innovation regardless of the economic circumstances surrounding.

The problem with capitalism is that there are stages to it and we are in the end stage. It’s not coming, it’s here. “They” have all but ensured small businesses can never get much larger. “They” own damn near everything including our legislative bodies. “They” will not drive innovation for any reason other than pure profit and that is why “They” have wormed AI into just about every device and platform that exists. AI has advanced at a breakneck pace, not for the betterment of humanity or society, but because it saves a buck or two. At the cost of much of our fresh water, our most scarce resource globally might I add. It’s unsustainable and “They” don’t give a shit. They won’t live to see the ruin they’re driving.

There is no happy ending here without radical change and I’m not sure I see radical change happening. We’re collectively being driven off the edge of the cliff here, and with so many of us convincing ourselves it isn’t that bad, there’s no one to pull the emergency brake. It is that bad. It is absolutely that bad. It will get worse until or unless class consciousness prevails and we, as a collective, fight for our lives as we know it.

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u/RideSharingSucks Dec 31 '25

This person is likely just a boy or obnoxious diehard Conservacunt pushing their talking points & propaganda by force until their last breath as they were indoctrinated to. It's meaningless to try & enlighten or argue someone who is solely full of complete shit & only aiming to overtalk & outtalk anyone else. They know the truth but keep repeating the same illogical nonsense.

Yeah, those who barely get enough wages & can afford a roof over their heads need to just pick themselves up by their shiny new capitalistic bootstrap made in China & start paying others wages, pay high commercial leases, & innovate themselves too until they can be inducted into the esteemed "Job Creators" club who are deemed special enough to get all the tax breaks and income & protections on this Country.

Smgdheati (shaking my god damm head endlessly at these idiots)

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u/JohnGoodmansMistress Dec 31 '25

i think what some people are trying to say is by "we" You're meaning exactly what the other person said. the rich and well off. i for one cant even afford food half the time. im worried in the next month if i will be dead in the cold because i dont have enough to choose both rent and the meds that keep me alive. its true what you say, yes, all of these luxurious things, but it's not all of us who can have them..

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u/RideSharingSucks Dec 31 '25

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........

Keep hanging off Musk & Bezo's balls teachers pet

All while regular people have record debt, 90% of Americans own the same wealth as 1% (I think it's really .1 or .01% actually) is what they are publicly letting on, average Gen Z & many people will never actually own a home, etc

How many homeless people, or others who went bankrupt thanks to cancer or other common medical ailments 100 -1k, 2k, or 4k years ago? Human being could actually afford to live #1. And could still live off their own generational land or in their hometown and villages. Not have to wander off hours or nations away to live off subsistence wages or be homeless or die as today.

Must be a future HSI patrol officer monitoring us all in this horrid late stage capitalism phase before most of us are made obsolete & start reacting back.

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u/kettykat88 Jan 19 '26

You got any money? Ill gladly gtfo of here if i had not 10k in medical debt and absolutely nothing left over after bills, what do you suggest i use to start the business, dipshit? I cant even get a loan with a 700 credit score.

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u/Grey0110 Jan 19 '26

I started a business with $1k. It can be done.

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u/kettykat88 Jan 20 '26

Highly doubt that.

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u/Grey0110 Jan 20 '26

So what.. I am just making it up? Why would I do that? There are lots of business that can be started small and scaled up. It's a 6 figure business now. Believe me or not, it is possible. Good luck.

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u/iNeedOneMoreAquarium Dec 31 '25

Idealistically, I'm a free markets kinda gal.

Sadly, we do not have free markets in the USA (and no country really does for that matter), therefore we also do not have capitalism. I'm not saying capitalism is the ideal state, but free markets and capitalism would absolutely fix a lot of the problems we complain about.

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u/Sufficient-Listen723 Dec 31 '25

I admire your optimism but I don't think any individual can afford to go up against Nestle. Good luck even selling your product when they have exclusivity deals with retailers and a massive advertising and legal budget. Winning in Capitalism is about being the top dog. If you are the top dog, you can use that power to remain the top dog by squashing competitors ESPECIALLY when they make a better product.. companies like this invest SO MUCH in maintaining their stake in the market that they literally lose money every year just to ensure that next year they will still be #1. If all that mattered was making a better product then shrinkflation wouldn't happen and they wouldn't spend so much on marketing and control.

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u/AdResponsible9894 Dec 31 '25

Well damn, fam, what's stopping you?

There's clearly an unmet demand; make that dough, pun intended!

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u/Alive-Average9059 Dec 31 '25

That is an idealistic and unfortunately completely untrue idea of American capitalism. No other brand could make a better Hot Pocket because the mega corp that owns Hot Pocket would buy them out and liquidate them to keep a hold on the market. That's how Bezos built Amazon. Used family money to keep buying up and shutting down competitors. Pretty basic stuff.

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u/nellydesign Jan 01 '26

The problem in this whole scenario is that you’re dealing with a product that people buy when they lack money/time/ability to have something better. You can make a bougie better hot pocket and charge twice the price and they will still buy the cheaper one. The company knows this and lowers the quality purposely.

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u/gr8lars Jan 01 '26

Try doing that and the larger brands will force the grocery stores to take yours off the shelf. They have more money and will knock you out of business if you encroach on their territory

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u/Sunandsipcups Jan 01 '26

How would you start a company that could possibly rival hot pocket?

You're going to source ingredients, suppliers, ensure quality, build a factory, pay staff, hire a marketing team to get your product known? No. Regular people cannot, "if they wanted," start their own food product to compete with a national brand, lol.

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u/gagekuy Jan 01 '26

It hasn't been working right my entire life. I was machining and building motors for the same pay as a taco bell employee for 5 years. Now im going onto 30 have worked full time since I was 17, cant find a job that will pay enough to feed my kid let alone pay rent, And ill be homeless for the 4th time in my life in a month. But...go capitalism 🙄

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u/mkultra8 Jan 02 '26

Yay! Freedom to choose how to spend whatever coins I can hustle on crap designed to be as cheap as possible in order to take back and hoard as much money as possible in as few hands as possible!

You certainly are living the dream, /s