Supermarket favourites including big brand tea bags and sausages shrink in size as firms try to cut costs

GROCERIES are being downgraded and downsized by makers to cut costs but not prices, a watchdog has warned.

Which? discovered rampant “skimpflation” — where firms are reducing the amount of expensive ingredients, such as meat in bangers.

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It said Tesco’s Finest sausages’ pork content has been cut from 97 per cent to 90, and Yeo Valley Spreadable Butter now has 50 per cent butter, down from 54.

Morrisons’ 150g guacamole has reduced the amount of avocado from 80 per cent to 77.

The group also highlighted cases of “shrinkflation” where items are made smaller.

Bisto Best Chicken Gravy Granules fell from 250g to 230g and Cadbury’s Brunch Chocolate Chip Bars now contain five, not six.

Which? Retail editor Ele Clark said: “While some popular products are subtly decreasing either in size or quality, the same can’t be said for their prices, so shoppers are paying more for less.

“Supermarkets and manufacturers must be more upfront by making sure changes are clear and unit pricing is prominent, legible and consistent.”

The British Retail Consortium’s Andrew Opie said: “Nearly all examples of shrinkflation are on branded products, not own label, meaning they reflect decisions by manufacturers not the retailers.”

Tesco said: “Changes to products are often to make them tastier or healthier.”

Yeo Valley said it emailed customers before making changes.

It added: “The cost of producing high-quality tasty organic food has never been higher.”

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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk