The Grocery Shrink Ray Has Been Nibbling Away At Pringles

The newer Pringles can on the left contains 7% less Pringles- based material.

The newer Pringles can on the left contains 7% less Pringles- based material.

The Grocery Shrink Ray’s effects are often noticeable to many customers doing side-by-side comparisons of zapped products, but sometimes the alterations are so slight that only the most eagle-eyed consumer will notice.

Luckily for y’all, Consumerist reader CJ has that keen sort of vision — or perhaps a sixth sense for some sort of disturbance in the Pringleverse, as he noticed that the can of Pringles on the left was now 5.43 oz. (154g), compared to the older can at 5.82 oz. (165g). That’s a difference of around 7%, though the price remains the same.

Many people would never have noticed, as the two tubes appear similar in size, but of course that what food producers are banking on when they employ the Grocery Shrink Ray. They assume — and may be correct — that more customers will notice a price increase than will notice that .39 oz. went missing.

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