Diaper Brands Shrink Packaging, Raise Prices for Israeli Consumers
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Huggies, Pampers, and other diaper brands in Israel are reducing the number of diapers per package without lowering prices, effectively increasing the cost per diaper. Kimberly-Clark, the maker of Huggies, has reduced package counts by up to 16% over two years. Procter & Gamble and other manufacturers have also implemented similar 'shrinkflation' tactics. The new Huggies Free Feel premium line has also drawn complaints about leakage.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Huggies diapers in Israel have been reduced in package size by up to 16% over two years without price cuts.
- Manufacturers like Kimberly-Clark and Procter & Gamble are reducing diaper counts per package, increasing per-diaper costs.
- Retailers view the packaging reductions as a method for manufacturers to raise prices.
- New Huggies Free Feel premium diapers have received consumer complaints about leakage.
- The price per individual diaper has increased significantly due to these packaging changes.
Huggies diapers, the best-selling brand in Israel, have again reduced the number of diapers per package without a corresponding price decrease, a move consumers and retailers view as a price hike. Kimberly-Clark, the manufacturer, has removed between one and four diapers from various Huggies Freedom Dry packages, representing a reduction of up to 11% in some sizes. Combined with a previous reduction, this amounts to a decrease of up to 16% in diaper count over two years for the brand. For example, a package of Huggies Freedom Dry size 4+ diapers has shrunk from 38 to 32 units, increasing the per-diaper cost by approximately 18-19% if the retail price remains constant. Similar reductions have been implemented across other Huggies Freedom Dry sizes, as well as for Huggies Extra Care and Tiulim diapers, with package sizes decreasing by 3-9%.
Procter & Gamble has also reduced the number of diapers in Pampers Baby-Dry and Pampers Premium Care packages by 6-8% and up to 8% respectively, without lowering prices. DPL, a subsidiary of Neopharm, has also reduced the size of BabySitter diaper packages by about 5%, affecting most sizes. Private label brands such as Shufersal's Bambino have seen similar reductions, while Super-Pharm's Life brand and Rami Levy's private label have not. These changes, often implemented "under the radar," are reportedly communicated to retailers in advance, who claim the packaging reduction is a method of price increase.
Kimberly-Clark stated that the product changes are transparently communicated on the packaging and that consumer pricing is solely determined by retailers. The company declined to comment on other diaper brands it manufactures. Meanwhile, a new premium Huggies Free Feel diaper line, launched in the summer, has faced consumer complaints online regarding leaks, despite its thinner design and a promise of 12-hour absorbency. Parents have reported that the diapers, even in the correct size, have leaked, contradicting the advertised absorbency.
