Marks and Spencer increases price of Percy Pigs but packet size remains the same

The sweets are now 10 per cent more expensive

A bag of Percy Pig sweets now cost £1.65

Marks and Spencer has increased the price of its popular Percy Pig treats, with a 170g bag now costing £1.65 up from £1.50.

The 10 per cent price increase was brought in earlier this year. When asked by The Independent, Marks and Spencer declined to elaborate exactly when.

Upping packaged food prices without increasing the size or weight of the product, or cutting the size and keeping the price the same, has developed into somewhat of a trend among cost-conscious retailers and has become known as shrinkflation.

In July, analysis by the Office for National Statistics revealed that manufacturers had shrunk 2,529 products over the past five years while keeping their prices the same with chocolate and confectionary among the products worst affected.

An M&S spokesperson said: “We always strive to offer our customers great value and at £1.65 for a 170g bag, given the quality and taste, we think Percy is the best value sweet treat on the high street.”

Other products recently hit by shrinkflation include Jaffa Cakes, with McVitie’s cutting the size of its packs from 12 cakes to 10 last month. The recommended retail price was lowered from £1.15 to 99p but a smaller pack still meant an increase in cost per cake.

Also last month, Haribo reduced the size of its well-known sweet packs including, Tangfastics, Starmix and Giant Strawbs, while they continued to be sold for the same price in supermarkets.

Earlier this week, M&S launched a limited edition Halloween-themed version of Percy Pigs, which also costs £1.65.