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Cadbury responds to Coles shopper's claim that popular Easter egg is shrinking

Coles customers have accused Cadbury of reducing the size of a beloved chocolate Easter egg, claiming that it has slimmed down from previous years.

An eagle-eyed Coles shopper shared her thoughts on Facebook, where she claimed this year’s batch of Cadbury Humpty Dumpty Milk Chocolate Eggs must have gone on a diet.

“Tradition in our house that every year the 'kids' get Humpty Dumpty Easter Egg for Easter. I think this year’s batch from Coles has been to Weight Watchers. Very slim,” wrote the Coles customer in her post.

Cadbury Humpty Dumpty Milk Chocolate Egg in a box; Shoppers outside Coles store window
Eagle-eyed Coles customers have claimed this year’s batch of Cadbury Humpty Dumpty Milk Chocolate Eggs are slimmer. Source: Facebook/Getty

In the accompanying photo, the suspicious Coles shopper shows the “slim” 130-gram Humpty Dumpty chocolate egg inside the box.

Hundreds of Coles shoppers shared their thoughts in the comments, with many agreeing that the Cadbury eggs had been “flat” for years.

'Half the size, twice the price', alleges frustrated Cadbury fan

“I was thinking exactly the same when I saw them in Kmart. Very slim,” wrote one shopper.

“Agree. I got mine for home delivery today and they are about half the size,” commented a second shopper.

“Half the size, twice the price,” chimed a third.

However, the woman who kicked off the thread confirmed that the Humpty Dumpty Milk Chocolate Egg cost the same amount as last year.

Screenshot of Cadbury Humpty Dumpty Chocolate Egg online at Coles
The Cadbury Humpty Dumpty Chocolate Egg is available at Coles, Woolworths, Kmart and Big W for $5. Source: Coles Online

“Haven’t opened them yet, but price was $5 – same as last year, so they shouldn’t be half,” she wrote.

Currently, the 130-gram Humpty Dumpty Chocolate Egg is available at Coles, Woolworths, Big W and Kmart for $5.

Meanwhile, others joked that the Cadbury eggs “had been on a diet” since last year, which is why they are flaunting a slimmer silhouette.

“I noticed today they had been on a diet,” joked one woman.

Cadbury responds to Humpty Dumpty weight-loss claims

A spokesperson for Cadbury has refuted the claims, telling Yahoo News Australia that the Humpty Dumpty Milk Chocolate Egg is the same weight and consists of the same amount of chocolate as last year.

However the spokesperson revealed that Cadbury has changed the packaging to use less cardboard and a smaller plastic inner holder, both of which are recyclable.

Shoppers point out Easter eggs getting smaller due to 'shrinkflation'

Several shoppers astutely pointed out that perhaps the chocolate Easter eggs were getting smaller due to the effects of inflation.

"Things are getting made smaller but they are the same price, chocolate is getting smaller and miniature and chips will be as well," wrote one woman, who is referring to "shrinkflation".

"Shrinkflation" is the reduction in the size of a product in response to rising production costs or market competition, while its price remains the same.

Fingers hold single block of Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate
Shoppers were frustrated when Cadbury reduced the size of its standard Dairy Milk block from 250g to 200g and then 180g, without reducing the price. Source: Getty

Cadbury has already been the subject of consumer frustration, as it recently reduced the size of its standard block from 250g to 200g and then 180g, without altering the price tag.

Aussie shoppers have also noticed shrinkflation in grocery staples, such as Weet-Bix, Smith's chips, Tim Tam and Pringles.

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