The biggest food news today isn't from Wall Street - it's from Sesame Street. Cookie Monster is throwing shade at the economy, and the White House is responding.
It all started with a post on X from our favorite blue monster. Like the rest of America, Cookie Monster is feeling the pinch of shrinkflation (that's when companies sneakily make things smaller but charge the same price).
"Me hate shrinkflation! Me cookies are getting smaller!" he declared.
"Guess me going to have to eat double da cookies!" he said in a follow-up post.
White House Responds to Cookie Monster's Tirade, Vows to Crack Down on Unfair Pricing
The White House, ever the savvy social media squad, decided to hop in the conversation. Posting from The White House's official account on X, they noted: "C is for consumers getting ripped off. President Biden is calling on companies to put a stop to shrinkflation."
Is the Cookie Monster Right? A Look at Cookie Inflation and Rising Prices
The post came just a day before President Biden announced a strike force to fight unfair and illegal pricing in the U.S.
Even the Girl Scouts raised prices this year, which is sure to break a few hearts (and wallets). Thankfully, research shows that the height of cookie inflation happened in November 2022 - peaking at 19% in November 2022 and has calmed down to just 0.5% this past January. It's a good sign - but it still means that we're paying 28% more for some chocolate chip deliciousness than we were pre-pandemic.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to drown my sorrows in a box (or two) of Thin Mints.
