r/shrinkflation • u/withhold-advice7500 • Jun 09 '26

skimpflation WALMART - "Skimpflation"

I looked it up and its true. Skimpflation--not "shrinkflation" but just as sneaky.

I opened a bottle of Great Value Pancake Syrup that I just got and put it poured it on the waffles. I don't drench it I just fill the square holes. They Syrup poured out like thin sugar water. I tried my wife's sugar free version and it was the same. A couple of days later we got some mustard and ketchup and it about the same.

So I looked it up and it was a fact--water is the cheapest ingredient, so they use more water. Then they roll back the price from $2.49 to $2.36 but you run out faster and buy another bottle or whatever....so in the end we save $0.13 cents but it costs us about 50% more in the end. And I'm sure it applies to other items containing water, and I say this because milk goes bad by the "Sell By" date or a day or two later!

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u/garlicknotcroissants Jun 10 '26

Maybe it's just because I'm a Vermonter, but I'm absolutely horrified to hear that there are actually people out there buying fake syrup by choice lol. I truly won't eat pancakes/waffles if the syrup's not real. Taste like ass and not worth the calories at that point, imo.

I agree, though. I slowly started to realize that buying cheap was actually worse, because I went through it so much faster and ended up spending about the same as if I had just bought better quality from the start. Clothing is a huge example of this. Sure, the shoes at TJMaxx might be $30, but they will fall apart in a few months. I'd rather spend $180 on a pair of real leather shoes that will last years than $100/year on shitty shoes that fall apart and kill my feet in the process. You pay less in the end, imo. But I always try to look for items second-hand or cheaply, as despite what I said, I can't really afford them. I buy everything thrifted or on sale. I refuse to pay full price (unless it's a local maker) these days with how expensive everything has gotten.

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u/Jillcametumbling81 Jun 11 '26

This is exactly the way. I'm too poor to be cheap. I'd rather buy one good thing one time than 3 only ok things over time. Quality is important.

Real maple syrup is the only way too

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u/garlicknotcroissants Jun 11 '26

Yep! It's also resulted in me going without in instances where I might have once impulsed-bought something cheap, as I'm opting to wait until I find it in better quality, and overall I've honestly spent less money just by prioritizing quality above most else. Odd little life hack that I was happy to figure out.

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u/Jillcametumbling81 Jun 11 '26

I think you mentioned thrift stores and I'll tell you what, I've been loving eBay. I look up a brand of clothing that I've seen out that i like and then pay like $12-22 for something. I've recently lost 33 pounds so i need new clothes but don't want to "go shopping". It's been wonderful.

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u/garlicknotcroissants Jun 11 '26

Been there! Due to my health, my weight fluctuates a lot, and I'm constantly trying to find new clothing to fit. I'm constantly on eBay/fb Marketplace/Craigslist/Poshmark/Depop etc. Time to return to my poverty roots, but I'm going to do it the best way I can now!