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 .

A new investment fund targeting celebrity-founded consumer brands has secured US$40 million in commitments and is rapidly approaching its US$50 million fundraising target, signalling growing investor appetite for alternative opportunities beyond traditional asset classes.

The Global Talent Fund, which has a maximum raise of US$100 million, focuses on building and investing in consumer businesses alongside celebrities, athletes, and influential personalities who play an active role as co-founders rather than simply endorsing products.

The strategy is based on the belief that changes in consumer behaviour, particularly the rise of social media and digital engagement, have fundamentally altered how brands are built and scaled.

GTF founding partner Jeremy Hunt, who is helping lead the fund’s strategy, said consumers increasingly feel connected to personalities they follow online and are more willing to support products developed by those individuals.

“Consumers are searching for content to engage with, and when a celebrity they like or follow takes them on the journey of creating a product or brand, they genuinely feel part of that process,” he said.

The fund is targeting high-growth consumer sectors including wellness, hydration, beauty and recovery, areas Hunt believes continue to benefit from strong global demand and ongoing innovation.

Rather than backing celebrity endorsement deals, the fund is seeking businesses where talent is deeply involved in product development, brand creation and long-term growth.

According to Hunt, authenticity remains one of the biggest differentiators between successful celebrity-backed brands and those that fail.

“The consumer can see clearly if someone is simply being paid to promote a product,” he said. “The winners are typically the brands where the celebrity has genuinely helped build the business from the ground up.”

The model has attracted support from several prominent Australian investors and business families, reflecting broader interest in alternative investments with global growth potential.

Hunt said consumer brands offered a level of tangibility that many investors found appealing.

“Consumer brands are what we touch, feel, smell and taste every day,” he said. “Our investors understand the growth potential in the model, but they also want to be part of the journey.”

The fund’s rapid progress towards its fundraising target comes amid growing recognition that celebrity influence, when combined with strong commercial execution and scalable business models, can create significant enterprise value.

With several high-profile celebrity-founded businesses generating billion-dollar exits in recent years, supporters of the strategy believe the opportunity remains in its early stages.

Yes, Even Cookie Monster Is Upset About ‘Shrinkflation’

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

With US$40 million already committed, the Global Talent Fund is attracting investor attention with a strategy focused on building globally scalable consumer brands alongside high-profile talent.