Biden the Grouch: Joe says he was 'stunned' to find out the Cookie Monster gets smaller cookies because of shrinkflation - and slams companies for charging the same price for a bag of chips when you get a 'helluva lot fewer'

President Joe Biden on Tuesday said he was 'stunned' to find out that the Cookie Monster has been a victim of 'shrinkflation' and slammed chip companies for charging the same price for bags when you get 'a helluva lot fewer'.

The 81-year-old president sided with the Sesame Street character in his fury at businesses, especially snack companies, giving Americans less for what they spend.

His remarks were a response to the blue furry muppet posting on his X: 'Me hate shrinkflation! Me cookies are getting smaller'.

'I'll tell you who did notice: the Cookie Monster. He pointed out his cookies are getting smaller, but paying the same price. I was stunned when I found out that happened,' the president said.

President Joe Biden, in an event on 'shrinkflation,' noted that even Cookie Monster (above) is getting smaller cookies for the same price

'Shrinkflation' refers to companies making their products smaller while keeping the same price. 

Biden was holding an event at the White House on the topic, which has become a focal part of their economics messaging ahead of the 2024 election.

In a video before the Super Bowl, self-confessed ice cream lover Biden said 'what makes me the most angry is that ice-cream cartons have actually shrunk in size but not in price'.

He told snack companies to stop playing the American public for 'suckers' and called on companies to 'put a stop' to charging the same price for smaller servings and products. 

In his speech on Tuesday, the president noted it wasn't just cookies, 

He pointed out consumers are getting charged the same price for a bag of potato chips and getting a 'helluva lot fewer.'

The White House is trying to direct voters' anger about the economy to corporate America. 

Polls show voters give Biden low marks for his handling of the economy. 

Food items, in particular, were hit hard by inflation. And even though inflation is slowly coming down, the cost of groceries remain high. 

And the Cookie Monster has gotten in on the act.

On Monday, the beloved blue muppet wrote on this X account: 'Me hate shrinkflation! Me cookies are getting smaller,' he said, adding a sad emoji. 

The White House picked up on it.

'C is for consumers getting ripped off,' the official White House account wrote on X, retweeting the post from Cookie Monster.

'President Biden is calling on companies to put a stop to shrinkflation.'

'I'll tell you who did notice: the Co okie Monster. H e pointed out his cookies are getting smaller, but paying the same price. I was stunned when I found out that happened,' President Joe Biden said

Shrinkflation saves companies money, but consumers are upset about it. In the past year it has meant fewer sheets of toilet paper in a roll; less juice in a bottle; or in Cookie Monster’s case, smaller cookies.

Even White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre got asked about the cookie controversy.

'I can't believe I'm having a conversation about Cookie Monster from the podium,' she said when a reporter queried her during the daily briefing.

But she argued, the White House wasn't using the beloved muppet. Cookie Monster was supporting the administration. 

'If anything, it feels like the Cookie Monster is responding to us and what we've been saying,' she said.