We’ve all heard of shrinkflation by now, where products get smaller as the price gets higher. But now there is a new trend called skimp inflation, where an item gets skimpier, forcing you to use more.

Got a cough this winter?  You might want to buy some extra cough syrup. That’s because more and more brands have watered down their medicine. According to consumerworld.org, its latest report on Skimpflation claims cough syrup strength has been “cut in half” in certain store brands in recent months.

Photos provided by consumer world shows the “see new dosing” message on the front.

On the back it used to tell you to take 10 milliliters every 4 hours: now you need to take 20 to have the same effectiveness.

So from the doesn’t that stink file, why skimpflation is just as bad as shrinkflation? They are not shrinking the size of the package this time, just watering it down, consumer world says. The report claims several major brands did this a couple of years ago, but says popular store brands are now doing it.

 The end result: you have to use more, and therefore end up spending more.

If your favorite product wants you to use more, check competing brands to see if they still use the old formula, so you don’t waste your money.