The Beloved Ice Cream Bar That Has Gotten Worse, According To Costco Customers

Costco carries a wide range of great brands alongside its Kirkland Signature range, but in recent years fans have noticed that some have declined in quality ... we're looking at you, Häagen-Dazs. If you've purchased a box of its Vanilla Milk Chocolate Almond Ice Cream Bars and thought that something was off, you're not alone. While they look and sound delicious, the 2.6-star rating tells a very different story about how customers feel about this former favorite.

The most consistent complaint is an obvious change in quality. "I have been a fan of [Häagen-Dazs for 30 plus] years," one customer noted. "Immediately, I notice that this bar is significantly smaller. Take a bite. Doesn't taste the same AT ALL and the chocolate on the outside has been reduced by at least HALF and also does not taste the same." The reviewer wasn't alone, and other one-star reviews echoed similar sentiments, citing the shrinking size, blander flavor, and noticeably thinner coating as major disappointments.

At face value, this looks like a textbook case of shrinkflation, a practice in which companies reduce portion size or quality while keeping prices the same. Häagen-Dazs isn't alone in this practice, and other Costco products, such as its frequently returned bakery muffins, have also been accused of shrinking sizes. If the ice cream bars no longer hit the spot like they used to, many customers say they get more value from Kirkland Signature Ice Cream Bars, which are larger, contain nearly identical ingredients, and, according to numerous reviews, are equal or superior in both taste and quality.

Häagen-Dazs has built a reputation as a luxury ice cream brand and is even one of Ina Garten's go-to store-bought vanilla picks. But prestige doesn't guarantee perfection, and in recent years many notable food brands have been caught shrinking their products, with McDonalds, Cadbury, and Nestlé among the most notable offenders.

Unfortunately for Häagen-Dazs, fans have noticed the shrinkage, and the brand has even been called out in a Reddit thread. It's not just the Vanilla Milk Chocolate Almond Ice Cream Bars that have gotten smaller. In 2009, Häagen-Dazs reduced its standard U.S. pint containers from 16 fluid ounces to 14 without lowering the price, a move that drew criticism from both customers and even rival brand Ben & Jerry's. More recently, in the U.K., the standard tub size was reduced in 2018 while prices remained the same. 

Consumers have also voiced concerns about declines in both size and quality. Social media is filled with posts speculating about these changes, with some fans claiming the ice cream now contains less cream or chocolate. An investigation by Quartz later revealed that Häagen-Dazs did, in fact, change the recipe for its five-ingredient vanilla ice cream. While the brand did not disclose the specific changes, the shift did not go unnoticed by longtime fans. Combined with shrinking volumes, this perceived downward spiral in quality has fueled discontent, with some customers even calling for a boycott.