What your shopping cart says about inflation

Once upon a time, ₹50 felt like more than enough for a coffee and a snack. Today, it barely covers the delivery fee. If your weekly essentials are feeling suspiciously heavier on the wallet lately, you're not alone — you’re living in the age of silent inflation, where everything looks the same, but costs more. And your shopping cart is telling that story.

The invisible price hikes are changing how you shop (and live)

This isn’t just about onions or petrol. Inflation in 2025 is sneakier — it shows up in your app subscriptions, your ₹349 coffee, your favourite chocolate bar that’s shrunk by 10%, and that “discounted” shampoo that was cheaper two months ago. We’ve entered the era of lifestyle inflation, and your daily decisions are proof.

Take coffee: A medium-sized cappuccino at a café chain now comfortably crosses ₹200. That same cup, which hovered around ₹140 pre-2020, has crept up under the radar. Meanwhile, streaming platforms have increased their base plans, or split content across multiple services, meaning you’re now juggling four subscriptions for the same binge session. And food delivery? Between platform fees, packaging charges, and peak-hour markups, your ₹180 biryani is showing up with a ₹100 delivery add-on.

But it’s not just spending more — it’s feeling like you’re getting less. This is called shrinkflation: your chips bag, cereal box, or protein bar is downsizing while the price remains unchanged. Brands bank on consumers not noticing — but the missing grams add up.

Even essentials like period products, detergents, and basic skincare have seen price adjustments that far outpace salary hikes. Meanwhile, ‘luxuries’ are repackaged as self-care: think artisanal candles, therapy apps, or mood-enhancing supplements, subtly nudging you into spending more to feel okay. Your cart may not lie — but it's time to listen to what it’s telling you. Because inflation isn’t just economic; it’s deeply personal, one quietly expensive choice at a time.

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