Yes, Even Cookie Monster Is Upset About ‘Shrinkflation’

Cookie Monster is a blue furry muppet who lives on a fake street, but even he is sick of a real menace in supermarket aisles.

“Me hate shrinkflation!,” the “Sesame Street” character wrote to his 626,000 followers on X. “Me cookies are getting smaller.”

Shrinkflation—when companies shrink their products but not the price—has been a hot topic as Americans spend more of their disposable income on food than they have in 30 years . Shrinkflation saves companies money, but politicians have called it greed. It’s been showing up everywhere: fewer sheets of toilet paper in a roll; less juice in a bottle; or in Cookie Monster’s case, smaller cookies that cost the same as when they were bigger.

President Biden has been critical of shrinkflation lately, calling it “a rip-off” by companies who he said are giving Americans less for every dollar they spend.

“As an ice-cream lover,” Biden said in an Instagram video posted last month on the same day as the Super Bowl, “what makes me the most angry is that ice-cream cartons have actually shrunk in size but not in price.”

On Monday, the White House weighed in on Cookie Monster’s post.

“C is for consumers getting ripped off,” the White House posted on X . “President Biden is calling on companies to put a stop to shrinkflation.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) told Cookie Monster she and Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) “have a bill for that.”

Called the Shrinkflation Prevention Act, the bill was introduced by the Democratic senators last week. It would give the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general the authority to punish companies engaging in shrinkflation.

Snacks such as chips and cookies have become 26% more expensive since January 2019, according to a report by Casey released in December . Nearly 10% of the price increase was due to shrinkflation, the report said.

Oreo fans have noticed less cream in the black-and-white cookies, but the company behind them has said there hasn’t been a change to the cookie-to-cream ratio. French supermarket chain Carrefour started attaching labels to products in September warning shoppers of what it deems to be shrinkflation. And even the rich and famous have noticed: Rapper Cardi B has ranted about high inflation and rising lettuce prices . “Naaaaaa,” she tweeted last year, “grocery shopping prices are ridiculous right now.”

David Chavern , the chief executive of the Consumer Brands Association, which represents major food makers, said industry leaders understand the pressures of inflation on Americans and have asked to meet with Biden.

“This is a serious issue and needs responsible leadership, not gimmicks or muppet memes,” he said. “In the meantime, we will continue our efforts to provide the best products at the most competitive price.”

“Sesame Street” characters have been diving into real world issues on social media, gaining differing reactions from politicians.

When the Covid-19 vaccine was approved for children, Big Bird tweeted he got the shot.

“My wing is feeling a little sore, but it’ll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy,” he wrote .

Republican Texas Senator Ted Cruz tweeted that it was , “Government propaganda…for your 5 year old!”

In January, Elmo asked a question on X : “How is everybody doing?,” only to get inundated with replies from people talking about their mental health and saying how bleak their lives are, garnering a tweet from Biden.

“I know how hard it is some days to sweep the clouds away and get to sunnier days,” Biden responded to the red muppet . “Our friend Elmo is right: We have to be there for each other, offer our help to a neighbour in need, and above all else, ask for help when we need it.”

Representatives for “Sesame Street” didn’t respond to requests for comment Tuesday.

As for Cookie Monster’s shrinkflation rant, Edgar Dworsky is happy to have more allies.

“I’ve been campaigning against shrinkflation for more than three decades,” said Dworsky, who calls out companies engaging in shrinkflation on his websites ConsumerWorld.org and MousePrint.org. “I welcome the help of such prominent figures as Cookie Monster and of course, the president.”

In the meantime, Cookie Monster seems to have found his own shrinkflation solution.

“Guess me going to have to eat double da cookies!,” he tweeted .

Tuesday’s retail sales report could be the scrap of evidence that tips the balance as Federal Reserve officials decide how much to cut interest rates on Wednesday.

It is practically a given that the central bank will reduce rates. Inflation has fallen to its lowest point since February 2021, giving the Fed more flexibility to focus on the second component of its dual mandate—achieving maximum employment. Although the labor market remains resilient, the most recent two jobs reports have been weaker than expected, putting some pressure on the Fed to loosen monetary policy.

The question now is by how much rates will fall—0.5 percentage point, or 0.25 point? The indications from interest-rate futures are split , recently favoring the more aggressive half-percentage-point decrease.

Andrew Hollenhorst, an economist at Citi , leans toward the likelihood the Fed is more cautious on Wednesday, cutting rates by 0.25 percentage points. But he notes that it it is a close call that depends on the dynamics of the bank’s rate-setting committee and the strength or weakness of Tuesday’s retail sales report.

A positive surprise would suggest that both consumers and the labor market remain resilient, paving the way for a more modest cut. If the report comes in well below expectations, however, Fed officials may grow concerned that a weaker labor market is weighing on consumer spending, which could lead to a bigger cut, Hollenhorst added.

Louis Navellier, founder and chief investment officer of the money-management firm Navellier agrees. “In theory, if the August retail sales report is horrible, then a 0.5% Fed key interest rate cut may be forthcoming on Wednesday,” he said.

Economists are expecting retail sales will decline by 0.2% in August from July, according to FactSet. They jumped by a surprising 1% in July .

Lower gasoline prices and car sales will likely drag the headline number lower. Indeed, stripping out car and gas sales, retail sales are projected to increase by about 0.3% month over month.

Yet there is growing concern that even excluding autos and gas sales, the sales figure will be soft. While spending was remarkably strong in July, the Fed’s latest Beige Book flagged that consumer spending ticked down in August, points out Bill Adams, chief economist for Comerica Bank . Many retailers, particularly those catering to lower-income shoppers, have warned that Americans are being cautious and exceedingly choosy about what they are buying and where.

The impact of the retail sales report will likely extend beyond the immediate rate cut. The insights it contains about U.S. consumers will also factor into the Fed’s quarterly update to its Summary of Economic Projections, containing officials’ latest forecasts for the U.S. economy, inflation, and near-term interest rates.

The so-called dot plot , which charts the individual interest-rate projections of the seven members of the Fed’s board of governors and the 12 regional Fed presidents, is always closely watched as investors try to chart the Fed’s future actions.

Hollenhorst believes the median dot showing where rates will be at the end of 2024 should show “at least” 0.75 percentage-point of cuts, factoring in 0.25 point at each meeting through the end of the year. But it is likely that officials will leave the door open for more cuts in case data on the job market or consumer spending sour faster than expected.

Yes, Even Cookie Monster Is Upset About ‘Shrinkflation’

Muppet’s rant against cookie prices sparks political reaction, White House response