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It sometimes feels like we’re powerless to stop the skyrocketing prices. But Americans may have scored one small victory . . . at Walmart.
PepsiCo owns Frito-Lay, which makes Doritos . . . and Doritos and other name-brand chips have become a lot more expensive in recent years, up to $7 a bag.
Shoppers aren’t willing to go that high, so they’ve cut back on buying them, and THAT hurts Walmart’s bottom line too. So Walmart has been reducing the shelf space for these snacks, in favor of cheaper options that sell better.
That message is being sent all the way to the top.
Back in February, PepsiCo finally announced they’d try to win us back, by “slashing prices by up to 15%.” But it might be too little too late. Frito-Lay has reportedly missed revenue targets by several BILLION dollars over two years.
There are other issues too: Consumers are turned off by “shrinkflation,” so if Doritos prices come down again, but it’s a smaller bag, that’s a problem.
And when budgets get tight, some Americans are trying to use their dollars on healthier options, rather than paying up for junk food.
Will any of this have a noticeable impact? Who knows. But it DOES say something if Doritos are too expensive for Walmart to devote space to.
