Tony Warner, a collectables fan from Sheffield, was given a 1996 Quality Street tin by his mum for his 40th birthday and noticed several differences from today's tins. He found three 550g tubs now can fill one 1.8kg tin from the 1990s, and the foil wrappers have become dull. Adjusted for inflation, the 1990s tin cost up to £14, roughly £41 today, so he argues shrinkflation is a myth and the tins are better value now, though the taste and smell have changed. Online commenters reacted with frustration, with one calling it shrinkflation at its worst.
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- Quality Street 'lost the magic' says man after spotting three big 90s-era changes
Collectables enthusiast Tony Warner, from Sheffield, received a classic 1996 Quality Street tin for his 40th birthday and found that three new 550g tubs could fill one large 1.8kg tin from the 1990s. He argues that shrinkflation is a “myth” in this case, noting that a 1.8kg tin cost up to £14 in the 1990s, about £41 in today's money by a CPI calculator. A 1.93kg tin is now sold online for between £19.99 and £31.99, depending on the retailer. Gram for gram, he says the tins are better value now, though he feels the taste, smell and foil wrappers have declined.
- Man compares Quality Street tins from 1996 and 2026 to find best value and is floored
Memorabilia collector Tony Warner from Sheffield compared a 1996 Quality Street tin with modern versions and concluded that today's tins offer better value, debunking the shrinkflation claim. He said a metal 1.8kg tin cost £14 in the 1990s, equivalent to £41 today after inflation, while a 1.93kg tin now sells from £19.99 at Costco to £31.99 at B&Q online. Warner admitted the wrappers are less sparkly and the taste and smell have changed, but argued that gram for gram the 1990s tins were more expensive once inflation is factored in. Some online commenters still called it shrinkflation at its worst.
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The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite have hit several record closing highs over the past four years, driven by AI infrastructure spending, record-breaking IPOs and better-than-expected earnings. The article highlights outstanding margin debt, reported monthly by FINRA, as a measure of investor risk-taking, since borrowing can magnify both gains and losses. Since 1997, margin debt has surged at least 65% over a short period four times, and the three earlier episodes preceded major bear markets, including the dot-com crash, the financial crisis and the 2022 downturn. From April 2025 to June 2026, margin debt rose 77% to an all-time high of $1.502 trillion, which the article says could foreshadow trouble for stocks, though long-term investors have historically benefited.
- We Just Witnessed a Unique Stock Market Measure Do Something for Only the 4th Time Since 1997 , and It Offers a Chilling Outlook for Wall Street
The article notes the US stock market has rallied for roughly four years, with the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq posting several record closes, driven by AI infrastructure spending, record IPOs and better-than-expected earnings. It focuses on outstanding margin debt, the money investors borrow from brokers to buy or short-sell securities, which FINRA reports monthly as a gauge of risk-taking. Since 1997, margin debt has jumped at least 65% over a short period four times, and the previous three were followed by major bear markets, including the dot-com crash, the financial crisis and the 2022 downturn. The latest episode, from April 2025 to June 2026, lifted margin debt 77% to a record 1.502 trillion USD. While the article warns of short-term risks, it also notes stocks have historically delivered higher average annual returns than other asset classes, so long-term investors may view the picture differently.
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