--- title: Inflation just reached a 30-year high, and might be even higher thanks to ‘skimpflation’ - The Hustle description: Skimpflation is a form of inflation where companies skimp on the goods and services they provide. image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/96686105-News-Brief_2021-10-31T231006.639Z.webp --- # Inflation just reached a 30-year high, and might be even higher thanks to ‘skimpflation’ ![Rob Litterst](https://thehustle.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Rob-Litterst-pic.png?width=48&height=48&name=Rob-Litterst-pic.png) [Rob Litterst](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/rob-litterst) [Rob Litterst Twitter profile ](https://twitter.com/robbylit) Published: November 01, 2021 Updated: October 11, 2023 There are a few ways to spot [inflation](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/29/inflation-notches-a-fresh-30-year-high-as-measured-by-the-feds-favorite-gauge.html), including: ![Inflation just reached a 30-year high, and might be even higher thanks to ‘skimpflation’](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/96686105-News-Brief_2021-10-31T231006.639Z.webp?width=595&height=400&name=96686105-News-Brief_2021-10-31T231006.639Z.webp) - **Classic inflation:** when the price of stuff goes up (e.g., when your favorite item moves off the dollar menu) - **Shrinkflation:** when the price of stuff stays the same, but the amount you get goes down (e.g., the ever-growing amount of air in a bag of potato chips) It’s time to add another to the list. [Coined](https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2021/10/26/1048892388/meet-skimpflation-a-reason-inflation-is-worse-than-the-government-says-it-is) by *NPR*’s Greg Rosalsky, “skimpflation” is when, “instead of simply raising prices, companies skimp on the goods and services they provide.” #### **Skimpflation is everywhere** If you’ve noticed the drive-thru taking [longer](https://www.businessinsider.com/fast-food-industry-breaking-point-labor-shortage-supply-chain-problems-2021-10) than usual lately, you aren’t alone. Other examples include: - **Disney** disabling its tram at Disneyland - **Domino’s** [taking](https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-10-14/domino-s-earnings-your-pizza-is-not-safe-from-labor-shortages?sref=3Ac2yX40&utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20211024&utm_term=5904582&utm_campaign=money&utm_id=46672429&orgid=&utm_att1=money) longer to deliver pizzas - **Airlines** [leaving](https://thepointsguy.com/news/airline-hold-times/?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20211024&utm_term=5904582&utm_campaign=money&utm_id=46672429&orgid=&utm_att1=money) customers on hold for longer than usual In many cases, the skimping isn’t deliberate — some businesses are facing a perfect storm of challenges right now, including: - Complications stemming from COVID-19 - Supply chain issues increasing the costs of goods - Labor shortages leaving businesses short-staffed #### **Shifting services from human to digital can lead to skimping as well** In his newsletter, *Kneeling Bus*, Drew Austin [described](https://kneelingbus.substack.com/p/172-running-up-that-hill?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo4MDk1ODkxLCJwb3N0X2lkIjo0MzI4MjE2NiwiXyI6IjFKOTlzIiwiaWF0IjoxNjM1NjI5NzYwLCJleHAiOjE2MzU2MzMzNjAsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0xMjY0NSIsInN1YiI6InBvc3QtcmVhY3Rpb24ifQ.3AkpGcxwtMzcei1RTrokzREt6VrMaw4yh4768Ir_RPc) a recent trip to CVS, where he noticed the following cycle: 1. Most items are locked in cases to avoid theft 2. The rise of self-checkout means fewer employees work at a time 3. Finding someone to unlock the case can make the trip take 3x as long Austin sees one road that this all leads to: Amazon Prime. Have you noticed skimping lately? Tell us about it [here](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1eiwDuMejC41c0urTSstPnJivVPVHQfsXUqtId12cElI/edit). 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Americans’ on-the-job hours are dropping - ![What is supercore inflation?](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/46898437-HS-News-Brief_2023-03-13T231918.703Z.webp) ### What is supercore inflation? - ![The MBA vs inflation](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/264238316-HS-News-Brief_2023-03-13T010211.426Z.webp) ### The MBA vs inflation - ![The housing market posted its biggest drop since 2008, but it’s still up](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/468068057-HS-News-Brief_2023-02-24T004345.613Z.webp) ### The housing market posted its biggest drop since 2008, but it’s still up - ![What cardboard can tell us about the economy](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1124914710-HS-News-Brief_2023-02-03T015832.977Z.webp) ### What cardboard can tell us about the economy Pop up for Subscribe to The Hustle Daily Newsletter Subscribe to The Hustle Daily Newsletter Get the 5-minute news brief keeping 2.5M+ innovators in the loop. 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