A woman from Boston buys some Hot Pockets. Then she realizes something is missing.

Many people have heard of “shrinkflation,” the phenomenon that affects the portion sizes of certain products. However, it now appears that the packaging for a few popular products is also slowly disappearing.

A woman went viral on social media after questioning this loss of packaging regarding Hot Pockets, one of America's most beloved snacks.

“That's exactly the point”

Boston-based content creator Novia (@klksoynovia) shared a video in which she examined something that caught her attention in a Hot Pocket she had just purchased. The video has since racked up over 1 million views.

“This is crazy,” Novia said, holding a plastic-wrapped Hot Pocket up to the camera.

She turned the Hot Pocket this way and that to show that the packaging contained nothing else. Novia revealed that it was just a thin, semi-transparent layer of plastic.

“Why don't Hot Pockets come with ‘pockets' anymore?” Novia asked.

According to Mashed, Hot Pockets were famous for their iconic microwave-safe wrappers, technically known as “susceptors.” Although the susceptors looked like plain cardboard, their insides were “actually laminated with a metallized film,” and this film “converted microwave energy into radiant heat, ensuring the food browned and became crispy instead of turning into a soggy, unappetizing pile of dough.”

Novia's Hot Pocket didn't have a susceptor. Without a susceptor, the content creator was at a loss as she looked at the unwrapped product in her hand.

“So… that's the real issue,” he said.

What happened to Hot Pockets' microwave-safe wrappers?

Hot Pockets' official TikTok account left a comment under Novia's video. There, a representative explained why the wrapper was missing.

“Hello, the pocket is the piece of bread that holds the melted filling,” wrote Hot Pockets. “We removed the pockets in 2024 to reduce a massive 3,300 metric tons of paper waste per year. We'll pass along your request for the pockets to return to our team!”

There's also an entire section on Hot Pockets' website dedicated to the lack of wrappers. The website explains that the company made this decision to produce less waste, make room for more pepperoni, and simplify the preparation process for Hot Pockets.

The website states, “After decades of perfecting Hot Pockets, we've made a breakthrough that allows us to remove the wrapper while also delivering an even tastier product.”

According to a report by Mashed, when Nestlé first announced it would be removing the sleeve in 2024, “it also released a branded holiday sweater with detachable zipper sleeves (presumably as a gesture of goodwill toward disappointed customers).”

Mashed also notes that this announcement was met with a strong backlash from Hot Pockets fans.

Mashed adds, “Now that the sleeves are gone, many people on social media are saying they want nothing to do with this product either.”

@klksoynovia #hotpocket #foryou #fyp ♬ original sound – klksoynovia

What did viewers say?

Most viewers in Novia's comments section didn't mind the Hot Pockets without the wrappers, but some were disappointed by the change.

“My husband and I said the same thing,” commented one viewer. “They don't cook the same way anymore because the inside of the wrapper used to be gray, and that helped them cook.”

“They were so delicious when they first came out,” another viewer lamented. “The crust was chewy, and the filling was as plump as a calzone.”

“I think the whole point was to be able to hold the food upright and eat it like takeout,” wrote a third viewer. “Now you have to eat it off a plate or something.”

Buzz News reached out to Nestlé and Novia, the owners of Hot Pockets, via email.