Here's the thing about 'reducing inflation'—swapping quality ingredients for cheaper fillers while cutting package size in half yet keeping the price tag identical? That's not progress, that's just sleight of hand. Companies are essentially betting consumers won't notice the shell game. Smaller portions, lower-quality materials, same sticker price. The numbers look good on paper, inflation appears controlled, but your purchasing power just took a silent hit. It's stagflation wearing a mask: nominal stability masking real value erosion. This playbook has run for decades, but it hits different w