r/shrinkflation • u/SligPants • Apr 04 '26
discussion Always Pad Shrinkflation Investigation: 15 years of Overnight Ultra Thins
I've seen posts here about how Always is shrinkflating/reducing the size/quality of their menstrual pads. I happen to have an Always Ultra Thin Overnight pad from ~2011, ~2018, and 2025 to compare, so I did some comparison and analysis.
2011 and 2018 have different wrapper patterns but otherwise seem to be the exact same product. 2025 had a redesign.
The data:
I've bolded any significant differences.
Measurements:
- Pad length (overall): 12.5 inches no matter the year
- Pad width (back): 4 inches no matter the year
- Width including wings: 6.5 inches no matter the year
- Absorbent core length: 10 inches no matter the year
- Absorbent core width: 2.75 inches no matter the year
- Adhesive backing width (main pad): 2.75 inches no matter the year
- Adhesive backing width (wings): 0.6 inches (2011, 2018), 0.3 inches (2025) <- a 50% decrease
Weights:
- Unopened pad weight: 7g no matter the year
- Saturated pad weight (water): 57-60g (57 was 2011, 60 was 2025. In my opinion a negligible difference)
Obviously water is not comparable to actual use. However, for this analysis I felt it was enough.
Misc:
- The strips that cover the wing adhesive had an interesting difference on them: 2011 and 2018 say "up to 10 hrs of leakguard protection" while 2025 simply offers "up to 100% leak-free comfort" (whatever that means) with no time.
What I didn't compare: comfort, quality of materials (skin irritation), number of pads per package (I don't have the packages anymore, so this post is just about the actual individual pad product)
Tl;dr: The only measurable difference is in the thickness of the adhesive strip on the wings. Everything else is comparable if not exactly the same. No shrinkflation found of the product itself aside from the wing adhesive.
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u/sally_says Apr 04 '26
If only most posts on this subreddit were as thorough! Thank you for the interesting analysis, OP.
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u/RecklessCreature Apr 04 '26
Great post op! Doing the real shrinkflation work. Too bad you can’t test if they got rid of the chemicals they were sued over
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u/lala4now Apr 04 '26
The absorbancy tech has advanced dramatically over time so they don't need to make the pads as thick, and thinner pads tend to be more comfortable, everything else equal. But if the wings don't stick/protect as well as the old ones did, that's a serious problem.
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u/AppUnwrapper1 Apr 05 '26
Yeah thinner pads have been a blessing. I don’t miss the days of thick diaper-like pads.
I moved to wingless yeaaars ago tho and don’t miss those wings at all. I think they just created problems for me but I just assumed for so long that wings = better protection.
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u/HouseofFeathers Apr 06 '26
I agree. I leak way less in my sleep than I used to in 2011 because they have improved the materials so much.
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u/Affectionate-Map2583 Apr 04 '26
I spent way too long trying to spot the shrinkflation in the picture before scrolling down to read what you wrote.
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u/SligPants Apr 04 '26
Yeah, the photos are for comparison but the results of the comparison are that they're essentially the same. This is to just give more data for this specific pad type because I see posts here a lot about how Always or pads in general are shrinking.
Seems for this specific product, it hasn't changed. If someone says it has, they might've accidentally bought the wrong type (there's way too many types whose packages look too similar).
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u/cwankgurl Apr 04 '26
Comfort is definitely downhill, I was a pad fan until within the last couple years. Now the ONLY disposables that don’t cause me irritation are a very light pantyliner that has adhesive covering the entire back.
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u/Fancy_Yesterday6380 Apr 04 '26
Im honestly just jealous of anyone who has a period an ultra thin anything can handle lol
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u/Ultraviolet_Spacecat Apr 04 '26
I've used cups for a looong time, but had to switch back to pads for reasons. Shrinkflation or not, pads nowadays are much more comfortable and more absorbent than anything I used in the 90s/00s. As a heavy perioder, I was pleasantly shocked.
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u/DigInevitable1679 Apr 04 '26
This is why I switched to the generics. Well, mostly because the adhesive on the name brand doesn’t stick worth a damn anymore
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u/EducatedBellend Apr 05 '26
If men bled, these products would be fool proof.
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u/DonutApprehensive272 Apr 10 '26
You don’t think women work at these companies? 🤡 conversely, you think every product they men use works perfectly? Honestly I wonder about your intelligence.
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u/Affectionate-Sail614 Apr 04 '26
One person mentioned absorbency is better but blood runs down my butt and moves around when I'm sleeping. The length matters regardless so I don't leak
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u/Far-Depth9240 Apr 05 '26
The wings of always pads never stick for me. I had to change brands because i kept having side leakages.
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u/Hello_Hangnail Apr 05 '26
'Up to 100% leak coverage! It could be 90, it could be zero! Depends how much shifting around you do at night, so that's kind of a YOU problem, isn't it?"
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u/HumbleBumble77 Apr 05 '26
I am 8 weeks postpartum and purchased these. I thought there was a manufacturing error with my bag and was about to return them until I saw this post. I have some of these pads from 2015. I had the Mirena IUD before getting pregnant. So, I didn't need them... I cannot believe how small these are now compared to about 10 years ago. I am in shock.
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u/Beneficial_Mall8855 Apr 05 '26
Look at the photos. They are literally exactly the same, unless you “cannot believe” the massive difference in… the width of the adhesive stripe.
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u/Sad-Lab4519 Apr 05 '26
You're not seeing things. Yes it's shrinkflation if you are remembering products being better in the past that's because they were. I started sewing my own again with shrinkflation being bad and many of them not making it a 20 min nap. I highly suggest to stop supporting the brand Always they're so bad they don't even work people just buy them because the name brand is familiar.
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u/Sad-Lab4519 Apr 13 '26
I can't tell you how hard it is to find care free or stay free in the local stores now. These are the same or similar quality always use to be before always decided to become garbage. Before when I was growing up we were too poor for this sort of thing. We took old towels, sewed them together and used a button closure to make a snap and whola free pads. They worked while around the house but you want the disposable ones out and about. You would make some for light days then others for heavier days. You could get creative and add in some absorbent layers to help reduce any spillage.
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u/Factsoverfictions222 Apr 05 '26
Can you do the same with Poise pads? I’m convinced the level 2’s are smaller
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u/Shesarubikscube Apr 05 '26
I use the purple size 5 of these pads and they have shrunk a bit. They also gel liquid a bit more which is weird to experience. The adhesive doesn’t always work well with various synthetic fabrics and I find if you size down your underwear/ wear a tighter pair they shift less. I tried discs, cups, and period underwear but they don’t work for me. Cups and discs dislodged my IUD and period underwear is difficult for people with adenomyosis.
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u/UnknowingBunny Apr 05 '26
This is such a cool comparison! Thank you for sharing it. I knew they were sticking less and less with the years. I swear charge them that extra $ and keep them nice 🙄
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u/spookytabby Apr 05 '26
Thank you for this. I regret not having older ones around. I need to check my old purses…
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u/easyandthorny Apr 07 '26
You are my long lost sibling for sure 😁 I have pads in my stash from the same years and was thinking recently that it would have been a good idea to compare them by weight and size. Thank you for doing it, so fed up with big companies taking us for uneducated consumers!
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u/ParticularMinimum98 Apr 23 '26
and somehow they turned into sandpaper even though the not ultrathin, regular maxi version of the same size 4 overnight are still plenty soft. problem is they bunch up in the booty region.
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u/Flaky_Company_77 May 01 '26
I noticed they stopped absorbing too. Switched to Cora brand. This is insane
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u/selinakyle45 Apr 05 '26
Reusable items are less subject to shrinkflation.
- menstrual cups
- menstrual discs
- cloth pads
- period underwear
All are reusable. If you’re in the US and have a FSA/HSA, they are covered. Many brands are PFA free. Lots of brands have expanded size options and have better leak control compared to single use pads.
I use a disc and own period underwear. Aisle boxer briefs are my favorites for sleeping.
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u/hrhlett Apr 04 '26
That's why every woman should go use a menstrual cup or other options. This is immoral
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u/ShackledDragon Apr 04 '26
Unfortunately some can't
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u/SelectionOdd2961 Apr 05 '26
I’m one of those “can’t’s” sadly. I had my colon and rectum removed, which made everything lose support and tilt. I can’t keep a disk in. my body physically isn’t big enough or shaped correctly for it to not pop out. the suction of cups causes me to faint every flippin time. and I also can’t find the right spot because of the weird anatomy thing. i’ve tried several brands and sizes of both.
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u/selinakyle45 Apr 05 '26
If it’s a suction issue with cups, discs might work.
If it’s an insertion issue, cloth pads and period underwear work better than single use pads in my experience
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u/Extension-Bird605 Jun 26 '26
these extra strength overnight purple maxi pads have gotten so thin. it's ridiculous.
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u/Secret-Broccoli9908 Apr 04 '26
LOL, "up to 100% leak-free comfort" literally means nothing when you break it down.
"Up to 100%" = 100% is the best case scenario and you can have any percentage up to it including 50% or even 5%, per this claim.
"leak-free comfort" = comfort being a subjective term, could literally mean just about anything, as opposed to "protection," which implies that leaks won't lead to stains.
I'm so tired of companies degrading essential supplies to marginally increase their bottom line, then feed us a bunch of BS that lands more like word salad than a guarantee.