What is shrinkflation?

Dr. Snackenstein (0:06)

You can only control your reaction to it.

SPEAKER_3 (0:11)

You are the master of yourself.

Ryan Perez (0:14)

I am the master of myself.

Dr. Snackenstein (0:16)

You are calm, centered, and at peace.

Ryan Perez (0:20)

I am calm, centered, and at peace. Come in.

SPEAKER_5 (0:25)

Hi, Ryan. You have a visitor.

She says her name is Bridget, and she's your podcast co-host?

Ryan Perez (0:32)

Oh, yeah. I know, Bridget. Thanks, nurse. You can let her in.

Bridget Bodnar (0:35)

Hi, Ryan. You're looking well.

Ryan Perez (0:38)

Wow.

Bridget Bodnar (0:38)

It is so Zen in here.

Ryan Perez (0:40)

Yes. My doctor thought a calm environment would be best for my recovery.

Bridget Bodnar (0:44)

How's that going? I don't want to push you before you're ready, but it is almost time for a new season of Million Bazillion, you know?

Ryan Perez (0:50)

You know, Bridget, I've done a lot of reflecting while I've been here and I think I'm ready to jump back in the saddle. Really?

Bridget Bodnar (0:59)

Oh, what a relief, Ryan. I am so glad that we can put the whole chips incident behind us.

Ryan Perez (1:05)

Yes, that was a dark time. I'm just glad we finally agree that there were fewer chips in the bag than there used to be.

Bridget Bodnar (1:11)

Oh, Ryan, we talked about this. The chips are exactly the same as they have always been.

Ryan Perez (1:20)

Bridget, nice try, but I'm 100% positive that my favorite dollar bag of chips that I always get now has fewer chips than it used to.

Bridget Bodnar (1:27)

No, Ryan, the bag is the same size.

Ryan Perez (1:31)

Yes, Bridget, the bag is the same size, but the chips inside are fewer. There are fewer chips than...

I'm the master of myself. I am the master of myself.

Bridget Bodnar (1:42)

Look, I don't want to trigger a whole new breakdown for you, but I brought a bag for us to share. Look, you can see for yourself here.

Ryan Perez (1:48)

Aha, see, the bag is half air. There are barely any chips inside.

Bridget Bodnar (1:53)

Ryan, chip bags have always had air in them. The chips are the same.

Dr. Snackenstein (1:59)

No, they're not, okay?

Ryan Perez (2:00)

You're trying to gaslight me.

Bridget Bodnar (2:02)

Okay, let's calm down, big guy.

Ryan Perez (2:03)

I know what I see. This is real, and it's not just chips, it's everywhere. The cereal boxes have less cereal, the soda cans are slimmer, even toilet paper has fewer sheets per roll.

SPEAKER_3 (2:14)

Nurse, nurse, can you come in here?

SPEAKER_5 (2:15)

Oh no, not again.

Ryan Perez (2:18)

I'm telling you, look for yourselves.

SPEAKER_1 (2:20)

They're trying to trick us.

Bridget Bodnar (2:22)

Ryan, hey, Ryan, buddy.

SPEAKER_8 (2:24)

I'm telling you, the chips are different. Ryan, Ryan, hey, buddy, wake up.

Bridget Bodnar (2:30)

Ryan, wake up. You fell asleep at your desk and you were having a bad dream.

SPEAKER_1 (2:34)

Oh, thank goodness.

Ryan Perez (2:35)

I had the silliest dream. All our favorite products were shrinking and no one believed me, but that would never happen, would it?

Welcome to Million Bazillion. I'm Ryan.

Bridget Bodnar (2:51)

And I'm Bridget, and we help dollars make more sense.

Ryan Perez (2:54)

Bridget, did you eat all my pita chips? This bag is totally empty.

Bridget Bodnar (2:58)

I had some pita chips, but you know what, there weren't that many in the bag. Okay.

Ryan Perez (3:01)

Well, now I'm going to have to break the glass on my emergency pita chip stash, which you know I am loathe to do.

Bridget Bodnar (3:11)

Okay. Well, while you do that, why don't we listen to today's listener question?

Noah (3:16)

Hi, Million Bazillion. My name is Noah from Sydney, Australia, and my question is, what is shrinkflation?

Bridget Bodnar (3:25)

Shrinkflation. Okay. Well, I've heard of inflation. That's when the price of everything goes up at once.

Ryan Perez (3:30)

We did that episode, season three, episode three.

Bridget Bodnar (3:33)

But shrinkflation. Well, let's hope some perfectly timed adventure comes up to help us answer Noah's question, because I've never heard of shrinkflation before.

Ryan Perez (3:42)

Maybe it's a Down Under thing, because Noah's from Australia. Bridget, did you get into this bag of chips too? There's so few in here.

Bridget Bodnar (3:51)

Ryan, how could I have gotten into those chips? You just opened the bag.

Chip (3:54)

Yeah, Ryan. Bridget's not the reason your chips are missing.

Bridget Bodnar (3:57)

Did the bag of chips just speak? No.

Ryan Perez (4:02)

Then who's speaking?

Chip (4:04)