Regulations on 'shrinkflation,' which maintains food prices while reducing content volume to create the effect of price increases, will be strengthened starting this year.
The fact that volume has been reduced and exactly how much it has been reduced must be clearly indicated on the product packaging. In addition, restrictions on the use of expressions related to hangover relief and the implementation of a customized health functional food system are also changes in food safety regulations this year.
According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on 2nd, starting this year, for food items whose content volume has decreased compared to before, the date of the change in content volume and the new content volume must be indicated on the packaging, and this must be maintained for at least three months.
For example, if a product that originally weighed 100g has been reduced to 80g, the packaging must indicate 'content volume changed from 100g → 80g', '20% decrease in content volume', and 'current content volume 80g (transfer content volume 100g)'.
However, if the shipping price is adjusted together so that the unit price does not rise, and if the change in content volume is 5% or less, this indication is not required.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety noted, 'An exception was made to increase the effectiveness of the system and reduce the burden on the industry.'
If violated, initially, a correction order will be issued; for the second violation, a stop in product manufacturing for 15 days; and for the third violation, a stop in product manufacturing for one month will occur.
'Shrinkflation' is a portmanteau of 'shrink,' meaning to reduce, and 'inflation,' which refers to rising prices. It refers to corporations effectively raising prices by reducing the volume of products instead of directly increasing selling prices.
There have been ongoing criticisms that it deceives consumers, but due to rising exchange rates increasing the cost of imported raw materials, the incentive for price increases through shrinkflation is growing.
In fact, according to the Korea Consumer Agency, which monitored over 260,000 products from eight major distribution companies in the third quarter of last year, four products were found to have changed in volume without informing consumers. Among these, two food items were confirmed.
A frozen instant meal called 'The Side Dish Haenyeo's Kitchen Jeju Horned Sea Shell Soup,' produced by Osung Food and sold by Dongwon F&B, reduced its volume from 600g to 550g, an 8.3% decrease last July. A snack called 'Stubborn Young Man Handmade Oranda,' manufactured and sold by Stubborn Young Man, reduced its volume by 10% from 500g to 450g last September.
Additionally, starting this year, if expressions related to hangover relief, such as 'makes you sober' or 'the day after drinking,' are used in food advertising or displayed on product surfaces, they must be supported by human application test data and must undergo review by the Korea Food Industry Association.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety can order businesses that do not submit verification data to cease displays and advertising until the material is submitted.
If the validity is not proven in human application test data and displays or advertisements continue or if they do not follow self-review organization evaluations, they will face a 15-day administrative suspension. Continuing to display or advertise after an order to cease will result in a one-month business suspension.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated, 'For products distributed before the implementation of the system, it is allowed to modify displays and advertisements reflecting self-review results only if they have human application test data by June 30.'
Furthermore, starting this year, consumers can purchase customized health functional foods that are packaged and combined according to individual lifestyle habits and health conditions, based on consultations with professionals such as pharmacists and nutritionists.
To institutionalize the sale of customized health functional foods, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety conducted a pilot project since April 2020 at a total of 687 locations. A ministry official noted, 'Participating companies and sales figures have steadily increased, and no safety-related issues such as abnormal cases have occurred, so it is being run stably.'
According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, revisions of the 'Enforcement Rules of the Act on Health Functional Foods,' which specify standards for facilities, compliance matters for vendors, and safety management and sales standards for packaging and combinations, are expected to be completed within this month.