HUL, Dabur shrink packs as shrinkflation grips FMCG: Pears 60g→57g, Vatika sachet 4ml→3.8ml
HUL and Dabur are quietly cutting grammage on mass-market SKUs while pushing through 3-5% April price hikes on Liril (+5.13%), Pears (+4%) and Dove Pink (+4.48%). Drivers: PFAD, chemical inputs and packaging costs up 15-50%. Signals margin defense playbook is back as input inflation outruns volume recovery.
What happened
HUL and Dabur are shrinking pack sizes—Pears soap from 60g to 57g, Vatika sachet from 4ml to 3.8ml—alongside April price hikes of 3-5% on Liril, Pears, Dove,
Key facts
- 4ml to 3.8ml Vatika sachet at Re 1
- Pears 60g to 57g at Rs 20
- Liril 100g Rs 41 up 5.13%
- Pears Rs 52 up 4%
- Dove Pink Rs 70 up 4.48%
- packaging costs up 15-50%
Why this matters
Input cost inflation of 15-50% on PFAD, chemicals and packaging creates an acquisition window for stressed regional brands lacking pricing power—watch mid-tier personal care players whose grammage flexibility is already exhausted.