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Missing
Morsels:
The
Incredible Shrinking Package
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If you've loaded up your purchases of groceries
and household products lately you may have noticed it's taking
a lot less effort. Perhaps those extra workouts are toning up
your muscles quicker than you thought?… or perhaps what you're
loading up is simply weighing less! In fact the latter is happening
more frequently, as manufacturers keep their prices the same while
filling the box with a bit less than you are used to. The box
stays the same, the wrapping the same, but the content amount
is different. Of course the manufacturer does have to change the
listed weight, but they can keep the packaging and design the
same, meaning you likely won't even notice the smaller portions.
So is it legal? Well technically yes, as long as
the manufacturer ensures that the correct content weight and size
is correctly marked on the package. Is it deceptive and misleading?
Arguably so. It's a subtle way for manufacturers to increase the
price, without changing the actual sticker price. In our opinion
and in the opinion of others who have noticed this "shrink
wrap swindle" it's a scam. If you went to buy your typical
carton of eggs and found that they were only filling them with
10 or 11 eggs, then you'd likely be steamed. In addition, manufacturers
are eager to let us know when their packages contains a "20%
bonus amount" but when is the last time that you saw a package
labeled "Now 20% less"? So what it means is consumers
have to be more alert to these practices to avoid getting gouged.
Some things you can do to protect yourself:
Be particularly aware of products where this type
of practice is easily hidden. This includes packaging in particular,
that is non-standard and/or where the contents is not visible.
For example if a standard litre of milk were all of a sudden labeled
".8 litres", or clear beverage containers were only
being filled ¾ full, you would likely notice. Products
such as wine, peanut butter, glucose syrup and refined sugar syrup
have standardized container sizes under the Consumer
Packaging Act. However others don't so products such as breakfast
cereals, chips, cookies, many canned products, can often be subtly
reduced in content.
Get in the habit of shopping by comparing the
unit cost pricing. Most grocery stores label in small letters
on the shelf, the cost per unit such as 37¢ / 100 ml or per
100 gram. This is your best way to compare pricing of goods. For
example, two boxes may look identical in package design, size,
and price. However one may contain considerably less in actual
contents
Watch for differences in similarly manufactured
products that have different flavor or slightly different ingredients.
Cereal is a prime example. For example we found that Quaker Harvest
Crunch had the same sized box, very similar packaging, and the
same price for it's "Original" brand and its' "Original
Light" brand granola. Yet checking the label revealed that
the "Original Light" brand cost 92.9¢ per 100 grams
versus 79.9¢ per 100 grams for the "Original" brand
- meaning the "Light" brand was costing you a little
over 16% more. We also found this type of packaging practice occurring
with products such as soups, stews, health and candy bars, etc.
It always struck us as ironic that something that
is "light" - presumably because there were some things
not added in, would cost you more rather than less. Perhaps you
pay to have someone add it in and then turn around and take it
out - sounds almost like some sort of government practice?
Beware of the fill. Some products do not change
in size since it is easy to add cheap filler - like air or water.
For example if an opaque coloured bag of chips is filled with
less chips, then it is easy to keep the same package: just add
the air. Sure that helps cut down on calories, but it also means
what we buy doesn't go as far as it used to so we just end up
having to buy more.
In it's natural habitat. Tuna or salmon may
be packed in water, which helps keep it fresh, but the practice
goes beyond a humanitarian gesture to appease naturalists. It
is also a way to disguise how much is really in the container.
For example the tuna we tested came in 170 g (6 oz) tins but the
actual fish content was only 120 g (4.2 oz), meaning it was close
to 30% water. So to truly compare how much you are getting compare
the drained content, which should be listed as well.
Check for subtle changes that can add to the price.
We found for example that Ritz crackers had regular shaped and
special Christmas shaped versions both at the same price per box.
The Christmas version contained less product meaning you were
paying around 11% more. Now of course those special shaped crackers
may have been just the thing to make the season festive, as guests
raved about the holiday shapes of their crackers (even Martha
Stewart would be envious). However being aware of this and some
of the subtle ways that manufacturers and retailers can jack up
the price without you noticing, can prevent you from falling prey
to these cost hikes.
Be careful of the bulk size boondoggle. While
buying a larger size is frequently cheaper it isn't always. In
fact retailers sometimes charge a higher unit price for the economy
size. Not only in grocery sections can this occur, but also in
health and beauty aisles as well. Again, the unit cost price is
your financial friend in revealing what you are really paying.
If you suspect that a manufacturer or retailer is
moving beyond being subtly misleading to being downright dishonest,
then you can raise this with the Competition
Bureau which oversees consumer packaging and labeling matters.
Companies in both Canada and the US have been prosecuted for trying
to pull one too many fast ones over on the consumer. So why not
ensue that you won't be their next victim?
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