A 2014 article from CNBC featured the ice cream brand in an article about shrinkflation, reporting that Häagen-Dazs ice cream cartons started shrinking in 2009. Without a price change, the 16-ounce cartons became 14-ounce cartons, and the 32-ounce cartons became 28-ounce cartons.
According to a spokesperson who spoke to CNBC, the move is intentional and not one the company has historically hidden. At the time, the price of energy, dairy, and other ingredients rose, and the 2008 recession was still heavily affecting people. “Because of the economic downturn, we chose to downsize rather than increase the price or compromise on quality. We were sensitive to the fact that increasing the price would have made Häagen-Dazs unaffordable for many in that economic climate.” Häagen-Dazs is a high-quality ice cream brand, so rather than take shortcuts, it gives customers less for the same price.
If the Reddit posts are to be believed, the calculation by Häagen-Dazs may need to change. Multiple commenters touted the Kirkland ice cream bars over the Häagen-Dazs bars due to their size. However, a Reddit post from 2022 comparing the two stated that the Kirkland bars are only marginally heavier than the Häagen-Dazs bars. Kirkland’s are thinner with more chocolate coating, making the weight comparison more complicated. Still, the changes are enough to make them perceived differently — and enough for customers to grow cold on the seemingly shrinking Häagen-Dazs bars.