With rising food prices, a trip to the grocery store is an expensive endeavor. Everyone is looking for ways to save, even companies. It's spurring a new trend, different from shrinkflation, where you get less but pay the same price.
"This is now called 'skimpflation,'" said Edgar Dworsky, of Consumer World. "It means a manufacturer has reformulated one of its products, usually with cheaper ingredients."
Dworsky has kept a watchful eye on grocery store products for decades, now he's sounding the alarm on some changing recipes and formulas. He says a recent change to Smart Balance margarine is a good example of it.
"The old one is 64% oil, this new one is 39% oil," said Dworsky. "The packages look almost identical. The manufacturer, ConAgra, decided to save a little money because substituting water for oil is cheap. They literally watered down the margarine. Trouble is, consumers noticed and complained, a lot."
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The company's website has hundreds of one-star reviews posted about the change. Customers called it a "disgusting new recipe," a "big, terrible mistake," and said they "ruined a good thing."
NBC reached out to ConAgra about the change in its formula.
"We made the changes to some Smart Balance products to make them easier to spread. We have heard the feedback from consumers and have decided to return to the previous recipes in the coming months," the company said.
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Dworsky says he's seeing this elsewhere too.
"Some people have complained that some brands of toilet paper feel thinner," said Dworsky. "The trouble with this stuff is it's very hard to detect. We don't know the proprietary recipes that manufacturers do for their products. If you're pouring detergent into a cup you know it's blue, you know it's thick. Do you know if they've added more water to the formula?"
And if you're trying to keep costs down, navigating the increased prices and changing products can be hard to navigate.
"It's a real challenge to try to get the best deal in the store," said Dworsky. "You just really have to be as alert as you possibly can. Look for great deals where possible. Still use coupons if you can find them. Use digital coupons which are replacing paper coupons."
And if you suspect a favorite product has changed and you're not happy about it, post a review on the company website or reach out and ask if they've made a change. Sharing your thoughts like the customers at ConAgra can work. They were heard and will get their old Smart Balance spread back.
