Does Shrinkflation Make Nigeria’s Inflation Figures Look Better Than Reality?

I believe changes in product size can make official inflation figures feel disconnected from what consumers actually experience. I will use everyday products to explain this concern in a series. Before fuel subsidy removal, a pack of a popular bubble gum brand sold for about ₦800. Its price later rose to around ₦4,000, so I stopped buying it. Months later, the price fell to about ₦2,880. At first glance, this may appear to be a price reduction. However, I found that the gum pieces were about half their former size. In my view, this means consumers are paying far more per unit than the headline price suggests. I want to examine whether inflation measurements adequately account for smaller product sizes and reduced value.

Use The App To Win ₦1m

Stories are shared by community members. This article does not represent the official view of NaijaWorld — the author is solely responsible for its content.