Walkers scales down multipack bags and increases price leaving crisp fans fuming

Walkers appears to have made a pretty big change to its multipack bags of crisps - leaving some customers less than impressed.

The crisp giant is shrinking the number of packets in each multipack from 22 to 20 - while the price is actually increasing.

Their Classic flavour assortment which contained six cheese and onion, six plain, five salt and vinegar and five prawn cocktail - will now only offer five of each.

But, according to the ASDA website, the price will go up by 8%, from £4.50 to £4.85.

Customers took the social media to voice their anger, with one saying: "Not only is inflation hitting hard, but getting charged for 22 when clearly only 20 in the box. Not happy!"

Another added: "Thanks so much Walkers Crisps for the lack of transparency in this scale down."

Walkers Classic flavour assortment which contained six cheese and onion, six plain, five salt and vinegar and five prawn cocktail - will now only offer five of each (AFP via Getty Images)

The price hike marks a rise of 4p per bag, and is a perfect example of a pricing system called 'shrinkflation'.

Shrinkflation marks a decrease in the size, portion or amount of good offered, while the price simultaneously increases - man issue currently plaguing the food industry.

The strategy is used to boost or maintain profit margins and is mainly utilised by companies in the food and drink industry.

Shrinkflation marks a decrease in the size, portion or amount of good offered, while the price simultaneously increases - man issue currently plaguing the food industry (AFP via Getty Images)

When an item is subject to shrinkflation, it means that it will decrease in size, while the price either stays the same or increases. It's essentially a hidden form of inflation; while it may not look as if prices have gone up, the price per unit of weight or volume has risen.

Shrinkflation can seem sneaky, but is not illegal as producers will still continue to indicate the weight, volume or quantity on their packaging, but consumers might not always realise that this has decreased.

A Walkers spokesperson told The Mirror: "We strive to provide high quality, competitively-priced products to our customers. Retail prices of our products are at the discretion of retailers.

"Like many businesses, we have changed the size of some of our products due to a number of factors impacting the cost of producing them.

"We always ensure that our products are clearly labelled so consumers know exactly what they are buying."