A Walmart shopper from Charleston, South Carolina, has gone viral on TikTok after sharing what she found inside a can of Great Value sardines. The video, posted by Peterra (@peterraaa), has racked up more than 1.2 million views and reignited conversations about shrinkflation.
In the clip, Peterra opens a can of sardines and reveals just four large fish floating in a clear, yellowish liquid. She lifts one sardine to show the noticeable empty space inside the can, suggesting there was plenty of room for more. Her on-screen caption summed it up: “Shrinkflation has gotten so crazy you can’t even say ‘packed like sardines’ anymore.”
Shrinkflation refers to companies reducing the amount of product in a package while keeping prices the same. As production costs rise with inflation, brands often choose to give consumers less rather than raise prices outright, leaving many shoppers unaware of the change.
Sardine shortage or shrinking portions?
Walmart’s Great Value Sardines in Water sell for just over $1 for about 3.75 ounces. While the label doesn’t specify how many sardines should be inside, Peterra said she remembers getting more in the past. Many commenters backed her up.
“Used to be 8, now it’s only 4,” one viewer wrote. Another added that the cans dropped to six sardines for a while before shrinking again.
Shoppers say sardines aren’t the only product affected. Similar complaints have surfaced about smaller portions of McDonald’s fries, Ritz crackers, Raising Cane’s chicken fingers, and even Cheesecake Factory cake slices. TikTok users have increasingly shared examples of shrinking products, with some calling for boycotts.
Not everyone agrees shrinkflation is the only explanation. Some commenters suggested higher demand and limited production, while longtime sardine buyers noted the smaller portions may have started during the COVID years. One Walmart shopper even checked a can purchased six months earlier and found only four sardines inside.
Whether the change is recent or ongoing, the frustration is clear. Shoppers say they’re tired of paying the same prices while getting less, and many are paying closer attention to what’s really inside their groceries.
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