The Department of Trade and Industry condemned Friday the practice of "shrinkflation" wherein the size or quantity of a product becomes smaller while the price remains the same.

DTI Assistant Secretary Amanda Nograles said the practice of shrinkflation is a form of price increase especially if a customer unknowingly buys a product of reduced size but with the same price.

"Binabantayan ng DTI 'yung sinasabing shrinkflation. Dapat alam ng consumer na hindi nga gumalaw 'yung presyo, nagbawas ka naman ng timbang or nagbawas ka ng laman or nag-iba ka ng formula. Dapat nakalagay siya sa pakete so informed yung consumer," she said in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview.

Consumers must send complaints if manufacturers change the weight of products without indicating the change in the packaging, she said.

Nograles said 63 out of 217 items have submitted requests for price adjustment, ranging from 25 to 50 centavos, to the DTI.

"Itong 63 items specific na brands… para sa consumer, pwede siyang mamili ng ibang klase, ibang brand, ibang variant," she said.

From January to November, inflation in the Philippines averaged 6.2 percent, which was above the government target of 2 to 4 percent.

• December inflation to settle within 3.6 to 4.4 pct: BSP

Government economic managers said inflation is expected to further slow to within the target range next year, but economists have also warned that geopolitical uncertainties may still quicken inflation.

Inflation hit a 14-year peak of 8.7 percent in January as food and fuel prices surged.