Shrinkflation is a budding conversation — are we paying more for smaller amounts? The TL;DR (too long, didn’t read) is we are in fact getting less bang for our buck. And, spoiler alert, that cost varies by store in Tulsa.
A recent InvestorsObserver study says an average family of four is spending nearly $741 more per year on the exact same groceries than they did six years ago. A box of Frosted Flakes is 51% more expensive now per serving than it was in 2020 with fewer servings inside, according to the study. When prices increase but the product itself is smaller, that’s known as shrinkflation.
The Flyer investigated shrinkflation here in Tulsa. With help from Tulsa Documenters, we compared prices of 20 popular brand and store name items at six different grocery stores around the city. Here are our findings and how they match up against the national study.
Key findings
- A 2-liter bottle of Coke cost $1.89 in 2020, according to the study. In Tulsa, that ranges from $2.95 to $3.99 today, depending on the store.
- In 2021, a 15.5-ounce bag of Doritos Nacho Cheese was $4.79, according to the study. Now, these bags weigh an ounce less but cost Tulsans around $2 more (between $5.48-$7.29).
- Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Breakfast Cereal shrunk to 21.7 ounces in 2024 and cost $5.48. That’s $1 more than before, despite losing more than two servings in size, according to the study. In 2025, the price fell to $4.98; here in Tulsa, you’d pay more than $6 at some stores.
- A family size bag of peanut M&M’s shrank to 18.08 ounces in 2024, but the price per ounce doubled, according to the study. That costs between $9.48 and $11.49 at grocery stores in Tulsa.
Walmart Neighborhood Market
3116 S. Garnett Road…