Cookies and crackers hidden inflation: +21.2% per unit vs +1.3% official inflation
By ShrinkRadar · Updated 2026-11-05 · Part of the ShrinkRadar Index, recomputed from the case library and official price data on every build
When a cookies and crackers pack shrinks, its price per gram jumps. In 29 documented cookies and crackers shrinks with shelf prices before and after and an official match (2018–2026), the median price per gram changed +21.2%. Official inflation for the same cases, matched to each one’s category, country and time, was +1.3%: official prices up 1.3%, the ShrinkRadar per-unit price up 21.2% over the same periods.
same category, country and time+1.3%
28 of 2997%
shelf prices before and after30
median, all 53 cases since 2018+16.0%
Official data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U, Eurostat HICP, Office for National Statistics CPI, Australian Bureau of Statistics CPI, Statistics Canada CPI, Table 18-10-0004-01. Recomputed on every build. Method and limits.
In one lineBy countryBy yearCasesOfficial seriesMethodCite
Cookies and crackers in one line
Each line is computed from the tables below. Copy one with its source.
Cookies and crackers: official prices were up 1.3% and the ShrinkRadar per-unit price up 21.2% over the same periods. Packs that shrank cost a median 21.2% more per gram than the pack they replaced, against 1.3% official inflation for the same category, country and time (29 priced cases with an official match, 2018–2026).
In 97% of those cookies and crackers cases (28 of 29), the price per unit rose more than official inflation for the same category, country and time.
Across all 53 documented cookies and crackers shrinks since 2018, the size cut alone raised the price per unit by a median 16.0%, before any change in the shelf price.
Show all 6 lines (3 more: by country, period and category)
In Germany, cookies and crackers packs that shrank were up 23.1% per gram, while official prices (Eurostat HICP) for the same cases were up 2.7% over the same periods (12 priced cases with an official match, 2019–2025, all from Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg).
In United Kingdom, cookies and crackers packs that shrank were up 13.1% per gram, while official prices (ONS CPI) for the same cases were up 0.4% over the same periods (10 priced cases with an official match, 2018–2026).
In the Netherlands, cookies and crackers packs that shrank were up 14.5% per gram, while official prices (Eurostat HICP) for the same cases were up 1.3% over the same periods (6 priced cases with an official match, 2024–2026).
By country
The same comparison for cookies and crackers cases by the country they come from, each against its own statistics office. A country needs at least 5 priced cases with an official match; 8 of 11 countries have fewer, and the table says so instead of showing a figure.
Price per unit at the shrink (median) Official inflation, same cases (median)(n) = priced cases with an official match
| Country | Cases | Per unit (median) | Official, same cases | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 12 (12 priced) | +23.1% | +2.7% | |
| United Kingdom | 13 (10 priced) | +13.1% | +0.4% | |
| Netherlands | 6 (6 priced) | +14.5% | +1.3% | |
| Australia | 3 (1 priced) | Too thin: 1 priced case with an official match (minimum 5) | ||
| United States | 10 (0 priced) | Too thin: 0 priced cases with an official match (minimum 5) | ||
| Brazil | 3 (0 priced) | No official series for this country | ||
| Japan | 2 (0 priced) | No official series for this country | ||
| Canada | 1 (0 priced) | Too thin: 0 priced cases with an official match (minimum 5) | ||
| Hong Kong | 1 (1 priced) | No official series for this country | ||
| Hungary | 1 (0 priced) | No official series for this country | ||
| Italy | 1 (0 priced) | Too thin: 0 priced cases with an official match (minimum 5) | ||
By year
By the year the pack changed. A year needs at least 5 priced cases; thin years are marked. Comparisons spanning several years (2 cookies and crackers cases) are left out of this series but kept in the headline and the case list.
| Year | Cases | Priced | Per unit (median) | Official, same cases (n) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (so far) | 12 | 9 | +11.5% | +1.0% (9) |
| 2025 | 4 | 4 | too thin | — |
| 2024 | 11 | 7 | +23.3% | +1.2% (7) |
| 2023 | 11 | 2 | too thin | — |
| 2022 | 8 | 2 | too thin | — |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | too thin | — |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | too thin | — |
| 2019 | 2 | 2 | too thin | — |
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | too thin | — |
The 53 cookies and crackers cases
Which cases count. All 53 cookies and crackers cases that changed in 2018 or later are listed and count in the size-cut figure. The per-unit headline uses the 29 that have shelf prices before and after and an official match (listed first). Left out of the per-unit figure: 23 size-only cases (the source recorded no shelf prices; we never fill one in), and 1 priced case without an official match. Cases without an official match: no official benchmark loaded for this country (7); official data not published for that period (1). Not listed: 3 older cookies and crackers cases that changed before 2018, outside the range of the official data.
| Case (country · when · size) | Per unit | Official, matched |
|---|---|---|
| AH ube witte choco cookie Netherlands · 2026 · 100 g → 95 g (−5.0%) | +5.3% | +2.2% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (NL) · 12 months to Mar 2026 · broad match |
| Arnott's Tina wafers Australia · 2026 · 250 g → 200 g (−20.0%) | +67.2% | +26.9% Cakes and biscuits · ABS CPI (AU) · 2026 average vs 2021 average (same 9 months) |
| Dean's shortbread petticoat tails and fingers (UK) United Kingdom · 2026 · 150 g → 125 g (−16.7%) | +20.0% | −0.4% Other bakery products · ONS CPI (UK) · 12 months to May 2026 |
| Enkhuizer Jodekoek Original Netherlands · 2026 · 372 g → 298 g (−19.9%) | +15.2% | +1.3% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (NL) · 2026 average vs 2025 (same 9 months) · broad match |
| Fox's Chocolatey Rounds biscuits (UK) United Kingdom · 2026 · 130 g → 117 g (−10.0%) | +11.1% | +1.0% Other bakery products · ONS CPI (UK) · 12 months to Jul 2026 |
| Fox's Half Coated Milk Chocolate Cookies (UK) United Kingdom · 2026 · 175 g → 157 g (−10.3%) | +11.5% | +1.0% Other bakery products · ONS CPI (UK) · 12 months to Jul 2026 |
| Ines Rosales rosemary & thyme tortas (UK) United Kingdom · 2026 · 180 g → 120 g (−33.3%) | +23.5% | −0.4% Other bakery products · ONS CPI (UK) · 12 months to May 2026 |
| McVitie's Digestives twin pack (UK) United Kingdom · 2026 · 720 g → 630 g (−12.5%) | +5.4% | +0.2% Other bakery products · ONS CPI (UK) · 12 months to Aug 2026 |
| McVitie's Hobnobs milk chocolate twin pack (UK) United Kingdom · 2026 · 636 g → 524 g (−17.6%) | +6.2% | +0.2% Other bakery products · ONS CPI (UK) · 12 months to Aug 2026 |
| Peijnenburg Gemberkoek Netherlands · 2026 · 465 g → 348 g (−25.2%) | +13.8% | +1.3% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (NL) · 2026 average vs 2025 (same 9 months) · broad match |
| AH Beschuit naturel Netherlands · 2025 · 130 g → 125 g (−3.8%) | +4.0% | +2.6% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (NL) · 2025 average vs 2024 · broad match |
| Alnatura Mais Amaranth Waffeln Germany · 2025 · 150 g → 115 g (−23.3%) | +38.6% | +1.2% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (DE) · 12 months to Jun 2025 · broad match |
| Dr. Oetker 4x Marmor kleine Kuchen Germany · 2025 · 172 g → 140 g (−18.6%) | +22.9% | +1.4% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (DE) · 12 months to Mar 2025 · broad match |
| Lotus Biscoff Germany · 2025 · 250 g → 200 g (−20.0%) | +25.0% | +1.5% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (DE) · 12 months to Apr 2025 · broad match |
| Aldi Thee biscuits Netherlands · 2024 · 370 g → 300 g (−18.9%) | +23.3% | +1.3% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (NL) · 2024 average vs 2023 · broad match |
| Bahlsen Choco Leibniz biscuits (UK) United Kingdom · 2024 · 125 g → 111 g (−11.2%) | +12.6% | −0.9% Other bakery products · ONS CPI (UK) · 12 months to Jun 2024 |
| Manner Eiswaffeln Germany · 2024 · 100 g → 75 g (−25.0%) | +10.9% | +2.6% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (DE) · 12 months to Apr 2024 · broad match |
| Peijnenburg ontbijtkoek volkoren gesneden Netherlands · 2024 · 485 g → 345 g (−28.9%) | +40.6% | +1.3% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (NL) · 2024 average vs 2023 · broad match |
| Pfiff Salzbrezeln Germany · 2024 · 200 g → 175 g (−12.5%) | +14.3% | +1.2% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (DE) · 12 months to Dec 2024 · broad match |
| Ritz Cheese crackers (UK) United Kingdom · 2024 · 200 g → 140 g (−30.0%) | +42.9% | +0.6% Other bakery products · ONS CPI (UK) · 12 months to May 2024 |
| Ritz Original crackers (UK) United Kingdom · 2024 · 200 g → 150 g (−25.0%) | +33.3% | +0.6% Other bakery products · ONS CPI (UK) · 12 months to May 2024 |
| Tuc Bake Rolls Meersalz (ehemals 7 days) Germany · 2023 · 250 g → 150 g (−40.0%) | +126.6% | +24.0% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (DE) · 12 months to Mar 2023 · broad match |
| Veganz Doppelkeks Kakao Germany · 2023 · 400 g → 330 g (−17.5%) | +21.2% | +10.2% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (DE) · 12 months to Oct 2023 · broad match |
| Brandt Minis Vollkorn Zartbitter Germany · 2022 · 125 g → 115 g (−8.0%) | +38.6% | +17.6% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (DE) · 12 months to Sep 2022 · broad match |
| Griesson Unsere Kekszeit Germany · 2022 · 415 g → 397 g (−4.3%) | +4.5% | +19.1% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (DE) · 12 months to Oct 2022 · broad match |
| Bahlsen Waffel Germany · 2021 · 130 g → 97 g (−25.4%) | +34.0% | +2.2% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (DE) · 12 months to Jun 2021 · broad match |
| Wasa Delicate Rounds French herbs Germany · 2019 · 250 g → 205 g (−18.0%) | +22.0% | +2.8% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (DE) · 12 months to Apr 2019 · broad match |
| Wasa Delicate Rounds Sesame and Sea Salt Germany · 2019 · 290 g → 235 g (−19.0%) | +23.4% | +2.8% Bread and bakery products · Eurostat HICP (DE) · 12 months to Apr 2019 · broad match |
| McVitie's Digestives, 500 g pack (UK, 2018) United Kingdom · 2018 · 500 g → 400 g (−20.0%) | +13.6% | +0.6% Other bakery products · ONS CPI (UK) · 12 months to Feb 2019 |
| Bourbon Croiss Pie (Japan) Japan · 2026 · 7 pieces → 6 pieces (−14.3%) | size only size cut alone +16.7% | no official match no official benchmark loaded for this country |
| Bourbon La Shukure biscuits (Japan) Japan · 2026 · 8 biscuits → 7 biscuits (−12.5%) | size only size cut alone +14.3% | no official match no official benchmark loaded for this country |
| COOP mézes puszedli kakaós honey gingerbread cookies (Hungary) Hungary · 2026 · 200 g → 180 g (−10.0%) | size only size cut alone +11.1% | no official match no official benchmark loaded for this country |
| McVitie's Club Orange biscuit bars (Hong Kong) Hong Kong · 2021–2024 · 176 g → 154 g (−12.5%) | +26.2% | no official match no official benchmark loaded for this country |
| McVitie's Digestives (Australia) Australia · 2024 · 400 g → 355 g (−11.3%) | size only size cut alone +12.7% | +5.1% Cakes and biscuits · ABS CPI (AU) · 2024 average vs 2023 |
| McVitie's Go Ahead forest fruit biscuits Australia · 2024 · 218 g → 174 g (−20.2%) | size only size cut alone +25.3% | +5.1% Cakes and biscuits · ABS CPI (AU) · 2024 average vs 2023 |
| Oreo United States · 2024 · 13.1 oz → 11.78 oz (−10.1%) | size only size cut alone +11.2% | +0.6% Bakery products · BLS CPI-U (US) · 12 months to Apr 2024 · broad match |
| Ritz Bits United States · 2024 · 8.8 oz → 7.5 oz (−14.8%) | size only size cut alone +17.3% | +0.6% Bakery products · BLS CPI-U (US) · 12 months to Apr 2024 · broad match |
| Double Stuf Oreo Family Size United States · 2023 · 20 oz → 18.71 oz (−6.5%) | size only size cut alone +6.9% | +9.0% Bakery products · BLS CPI-U (US) · 2023 average vs 2022 · broad match |
| Goodman's macaroons United States · 2023 · 10 oz → 9 oz (−10.0%) | size only size cut alone +11.1% | +13.9% Bakery products · BLS CPI-U (US) · 12 months to Mar 2023 · broad match |
| McVitie's Digestives Dark Chocolate United Kingdom · 2023 · 433 g → 400 g (−7.6%) | size only size cut alone +8.3% | +19.0% Other bakery products · ONS CPI (UK) · 2023 average vs 2022 |
| Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies United States · 2023 · 6.25 oz → 6 oz (−4.0%) | size only size cut alone +4.2% | +13.9% Bakery products · BLS CPI-U (US) · 12 months to Mar 2023 · broad match |
| Piraquê Maizena biscuits Brazil · 2023 · 200 g → 175 g (−12.5%) | size only size cut alone +14.3% | no official match no official benchmark loaded for this country |
| Piraquê wafer Brazil · 2023 · 160 g → 100 g (−37.5%) | size only size cut alone +60.0% | no official match no official benchmark loaded for this country |
| Reduced Fat Wheat Thins Family Size United States · 2023 · 14.5 oz → 12.5 oz (−13.8%) | size only size cut alone +16.0% | +9.0% Bakery products · BLS CPI-U (US) · 2023 average vs 2022 · broad match |
| Wheat Thins (Canada) Canada · 2023 · 200 g → 180 g (−10.0%) | size only size cut alone +11.1% | +11.9% Cookies and crackers · StatCan CPI (CA) · 2023 average vs 2022 |
| Wheat Thins Family Size United States · 2023 · 16 oz → 14 oz (−12.5%) | size only size cut alone +14.3% | +9.0% Bakery products · BLS CPI-U (US) · 2023 average vs 2022 · broad match |
| Breton Crackers United States · 2022 · 8.8 oz → 7.3 oz (−17.0%) | size only size cut alone +20.5% | +13.2% Bakery products · BLS CPI-U (US) · 12 months to Jun 2022 · broad match |
| Keebler Cookies United States · 2022 · 11.3 oz → 9.75 oz (−13.7%) | size only size cut alone +15.9% | +9.1% Bakery products · BLS CPI-U (US) · 12 months to Mar 2022 · broad match |
| Krumiri Bistefani Italy · 2022 · 300 g → 290 g (−3.3%) | size only size cut alone +3.4% | no official match official data not published for that period |
| McVitie's Digestives United Kingdom · 2022 · 400 g → 360 g (−10.0%) | size only size cut alone +11.1% | +11.6% Other bakery products · ONS CPI (UK) · 2022 average vs 2021 |
| Nesfit oat biscuits (Brazil) Brazil · 2022 · 200 g → 160 g (−20.0%) | size only size cut alone +25.0% | no official match no official benchmark loaded for this country |
| Penguin and Club biscuit multipacks United Kingdom · 2022 · 8 bars → 7 bars (−12.5%) | size only size cut alone +14.3% | +11.6% Other bakery products · ONS CPI (UK) · 2022 average vs 2021 |
| Keebler Club Crackers United States · 2020 · 13.7 oz → 12.5 oz (−8.8%) | size only size cut alone +9.6% | +3.4% Bakery products · BLS CPI-U (US) · 12 months to Aug 2020 · broad match |
Official series used
Each cookies and crackers case is matched to one official series for its country. HICP "other bakery products" is not published for Germany and the Netherlands; those cases use bread and bakery products A broad match means no series exists for exactly this category, so the nearest wider one is used.
| Official series | Provider | Cases matched |
|---|---|---|
| Other bakery products UK:L78K | ONS CPI (UK) | 13 |
| Bread and bakery products DE:CP01113 · broad match | Eurostat HICP (DE) | 12 |
| Bakery products CUUR0000SEFB · broad match | BLS CPI-U (US) | 10 |
| Bread and bakery products NL:CP01113 · broad match | Eurostat HICP (NL) | 6 |
| Cakes and biscuits AU:40006 | ABS CPI (AU) | 3 |
| Cookies and crackers CA:v41691003 | StatCan CPI (CA) | 1 |
Method and limits
Two measures per case. Size cut alone = old size ÷ new size − 1: what you pay more per unit if the shelf price did not change. Price per unit = (new price ÷ new size) ÷ (old price ÷ old size) − 1, from the shelf prices the source recorded. Official benchmark: the 12-month change of the matched series in the month the case was reported, or the annual-average change for cases with only a year, or the source’s own comparison period. Every case counts once and figures are medians; there is no spending weighting.
Limits. These are documented shrinks, not a random sample: sources report packs that got smaller, and the consumer agencies behind most priced cases usually report them when the price per unit rose. So the page shows how big the hidden rise is when cookies and crackers shrinkflation happens, not how common it is. Official indexes already count a smaller pack at the same price as a price rise when the item is in their sample. Full method, thresholds and data refresh: ShrinkRadar Index method.
Cite this page
ShrinkRadar, “ShrinkRadar Index: cookies and crackers hidden inflation”, https://shrinkradar.com/shrinkflation-index/cookies-and-crackers/, accessed 2026-11-05. Data: ShrinkRadar case library; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U; Eurostat HICP; Office for National Statistics CPI (Open Government Licence v3.0); Australian Bureau of Statistics CPI (CC BY 4.0); Statistics Canada CPI, Table 18-10-0004-01 (Statistics Canada Open Licence).
More on cookies and crackers
- ShrinkRadar Index: all categories →Every category, country, month and year, with CSV downloads.
- Cookie, biscuit and cracker shrinkflation →Every documented case in one place, brand by brand.
- All Cookies & Crackers cases and tracked products →Size Facts, brands caught most often and products we check daily.
- shrinkflation-index.csv →Every Index figure, including this category, with case counts and a status column for thin rows.
Other categories in the Index
- Chocolate and candy +20.0% vs +8.7%
- Pasta, rice and meals +16.4% vs −0.7%
- Chips and snacks +19.5% vs +4.7%
- Dairy +11.1% vs +4.8%
- Breakfast cereal +25.0% vs +2.6%
- Laundry +14.5% vs +2.0%
- Coffee and tea +25.0% vs +11.6%
- Meat and fish +19.3% vs +3.0%
- Personal Care +27.9% vs +1.6%
- Soap, shampoo and body wash +21.4% vs +1.9%
- Dish soap and cleaners +11.1% vs +1.7%
- Juice and soft drinks +33.2% vs +5.0%
- Frozen Foods +16.9% vs +3.8%
- Baking goods and spreads +25.1% vs +2.8%
- Pet Food +17.6% vs +1.9%
- Bread and bakery +16.0% vs +1.6%
- Toilet Paper +29.4% vs +28.8%
- Health and supplements +15.2% vs +3.2%
- Ice Cream +9.5% vs +6.6%
- Paper Towels +25.8% vs +28.8%
Closest to a figure (priced cases with an official match now, of 5 needed): Baby 4, needs 1 more; Household 4, needs 1 more; Oral Care 4, needs 1 more; Tissues 4, needs 1 more; Feminine Care 3, needs 2 more; Shaving & Razors 2, needs 3 more; Cat Litter & Pet Supplies 1, needs 4 more; Deodorant 1, needs 4 more; Bags, Foil & Wrap 0, needs 5 more.