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The size of a 500g packet of McVitie’s Digestives biscuit is shrinking by 100g due to rising costs.
Pladis, owner of the McVitie’s brand said increased costs and falling value of the British currency was responsible for the development.
The 100g reduction is equivalent to removing seven pieces of biscuits from a pack of 34. The new 400g packs will hit the market by the end of January.
Pladis said the changes will also include the introduction of larger value packs of McVitie’s Digestives biscuits.
Evening Standard quoted Nick Bunker, Pladis UK & Ireland Managing Director, as saying: “The rising cost of ingredients and changes in the exchange rates means it has become more expensive to bake our products.”
A Pladis spokeswoman added: “These changes are not in response to any one event. Like many other companies across the UK, we are making changes in response to changing market conditions and the increased cost of ingredients.”
The firm said it conducted “extensive research” with 10,000 customers who said the “the taste and quality that makes Pladis’s biscuits and snacks the best in the market should never be compromised.”
Evening Standard also reports Pladis has already reduced the number of cakes in a standard box of Jaffa Cakes from 12 to 10, while recent months have seen changes to many other products including Maltesers and Toblerone.