This Country Will Police ‘Shrinkflation’ at the Supermarket

livemint.com:

SEOUL—Food prices have risen so much that Kim Soo-yeon has developed a suspicious new habit at the grocery store. She has taken to shaking bags of her favorite brands of potato chips to see if they feel lighter. “If companies are reducing the amount of food by unnoticeable amounts, it feels deceptive," said the 32-year-old office worker in Seoul.

South Korean authorities will soon be backing her up in the supermarket aisles. Seeking to temper the effects of inflation, many countries have sought to use political pressure to dissuade food makers from gouging consumers—with higher prices or lower volumes. South Korea is taking things a step further.

Starting next year, the country will require companies to disclose on their packages and websites when grocery items drop in volume, but not price. To ensure firms comply, South Korea is establishing a dedicated price-investigation team to monitor any fluctuations. Officials are considering levying fines, too.

South Korea’s muscular response to “shrinkflation" reflects how a sluggish economy—its projected full-year growth of 1.4% is roughly half that of other wealthy countries—has become a major problem for President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose approval ratings remain stuck in the mid-30s. Those unhappy with Yoon most commonly cite economic issues. The new proposals to fight shrinkflation came as the government unveiled an initial list of violators.

Following a monthlong investigation, authorities said the offerings of everything from beer to Vienna sausages to dumplings had quietly gotten smaller. Some 16 variants of flavored almonds had shrunk, too. Choi Si-yeon, a 28-year-old office worker, said she was angry when she found out about what had happened with her favorite