Overview
- Publishing its study on January 22, Foodwatch defines stretchflation as launching slightly larger formats that carry disproportionately higher price-per-kilo or price-per-litre.
- Across cases reviewed, the group found unit prices up roughly 17% to 27% while quantities rose only 2.7% to 15%.
- Researchers compared catalogue and in-store prices in five French regions and adjusted results for official food inflation using INSEE data.
- Named examples include products from Lustucru, Garden Gourmet (Nestlé), Kühne, LU and Stoeffler, such as Lustucru gnocchi rising from 285 g to 300 g as the price per kilo climbed about 19%.
- Responsibility for the margin gains remains contested, with Lustucru reported as saying it did not raise its distributor price, brands offering quality-related justifications, retailers citing pricing freedom, and no regulatory action announced to date.