TikToker Tonya Watts (@dblenana) recently shared a viral PSA about Little Debbie’s Honey Buns, declaring, “Little Debbie, you got some explaining to do.”
“I bought this pack of Honey Buns because who doesn’t love Little Debbie snack cakes?” she asks, showcasing the box. “Look at the price: $4.99 for a Big Pack of 9 Big Honey Buns. Let’s see how big they really are.”
As she pulls out one of the honey buns, she shares, “It’s not really big. You can find bigger ones in the store.”
Tonya then contrasts this with a regular-sized box she purchased, containing just six buns. “Pay attention to that price,” she instructs. “It’s $2.79, while the other box was $4.99.”
When she places the regular-sized Honey Bun next to the “big” one, they are identical in size. “How about we stack them on top of each other? They’re literally the same freaking size! Make it make sense,” she stresses.
“This package is smaller, but it has all this extra air at the end to make it look bigger. Little Debbie, count your days; you got some explaining to do!” she argues.
@dblenana Little Debbie beter count their days!! #littledebbie #littledebbiesnacks #littledebbiesnackcakes #honeybun #honeybuns #fypp #4youpage ♬ original sound – Tonya Watts657
Viewers make similar observations
The video has 271,000 views and hundreds of comments, sparking a lively discourse in the comments. Many viewers echoed her frustrations, observing the same changes in Little Debbie’s Honey Buns.
“The big ones are what the regulars used to be. The regular ones are much smaller now,” one viewer commented. Another shared, “Used to get 12 for $0.99; now it’s less quality at a much higher price. We hardly buy them anymore.”
Several commenters pointed out that this trend extends beyond Honey Buns. “Lots of stuff has gotten smaller. Totino’s pizzas are smaller, Jimmy Dean sausage biscuits are smaller but prices have more than doubled,” one shared.
Another added, “Everything is almost half the size they used to be! Even Reese cups.”
The impact of shrinkflation
This phenomenon is referred to as “shrinkflation,” defined by CNET as “the practice of reducing the size or quantity of a product while keeping the same price.”
Many have argued that shrinkflation has become rampant since the pandemic, leading to widespread frustrations shared across internet forums. Other brands that have been recently called out for shrinkflation are Oreo, Kraft, and Tropicana.
The Daily Dot reached out to Tonya Watts via TikTok comments and Little Debbie via email for comment.
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