Although inflation rates have cooled since their spike in recent years, prices for food consumed at home are still over twenty percent higher than they were in 2021. Higher prices, combined with economic uncertainty and anxiety, have led many consumers to find ways to save money on their everyday expenses. One place consumers are looking to save is at the grocery store. Consumers are switching from fresh fruits and vegetables to canned produce, buying more rice, beans, boxed macaroni and cheese, and canned meats. Many consumers are starting to shop at discount grocers and/or switching to private-label generic brands.

However, one name-brand product is making a comeback: Hamburger Helper. Created in the 1970’s, this product was designed to help families stretch their food dollars while also making dinner preparation quick and easy. The brand grew in popularity throughout the 1980s, but sales began to slow in the 1990s and 2000s as consumers’ tastes began to shift away from heavily processed foods to more natural foods. But, when economic times got tough, such as during the 2008 recession and the Covid lockdowns, consumers returned to the budget-friendly alternative. And it would appear they are doing the same now as Hamburger Helper sales have increased by nearly fifteen percent in the past year. While some of that increase may be due to Hamburger Helper being featured in the recent season of the FX Channel’s hit show The Bear, it is clear that after more than fifty years, Hamburger Helper is still there with a Helping Hand when you need it.

Discussion Questions:

1) Assume Hamburger Helper is an inferior good. Use a supply and demand model to show how the market for Hamburger Helper is affected by a decline in real income.

2) In addition to changes in consumers’ real income, part of the increase in Hamburger Helper sales is being credited to the product’s appearance in a hit TV show. What are some other products that have been prominently featured in pop culture media?