Record number of deceptive packages reported - "Dupe consumers"
Created: 2023-01-09 05:31
By: Fabian Pieper
In the wake of inflation, many manufacturers have raised the prices of their products.
Often, however, this does not happen transparently: there are more and more deceptive packages.
Hamburg – The year 2022 was a year of inflation: The energy crisis, triggered by the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and the associated ban on imports of gas and oil, made life in Germany, Europe and the rest of the world more expensive, sometimes considerably .
With an inflation rate of more than ten percent in the meantime, many manufacturers have increased the prices of their products, sometimes sharply.
Haribo's gold bears are contenders for the title "Sham Pack of the Year 2022".
© Martin Gerten/dpa
But the obvious price screw is not always turned in order to recoup the higher production costs.
"Shrinkflation" is the name of the phenomenon in which the price of the product does not increase, but the packaging size and thus the filling quantity decreases.
"Shrinkflation" is a portmanteau of the English word "to shrink" (German: "shrink") and inflation.
Consumer advocates criticize hidden price increases and deceptive packaging
However, this is problematic for the consumer, since a smaller pack size is often not immediately noticeable.
Sometimes the customer doesn't even notice that the product has become more expensive.
It's no wonder that manufacturers often opt for smaller packs instead of raising prices.
The Hamburg Consumer Advice Center (VZHH) is keeping a close eye on this development.
It collects complaints from consumers about price increases.
Accordingly, in the months of August, September and October 2022, more than 700 complaints about smaller pack sizes with the same price were received by the head office.
The number of unreported cases could be high, suspects VZHH expert Armin Valet: "What we receive and record is probably just the tip of the iceberg."
sham packs of the year
2021:
"Paprika Sauce" by Homann
2020:
"Fruit Muesli" by Seitenbacher
2019:
Miracoli by Mars
2018:
“Crisps” by Lorenz
2017:
"Vitalis fruit muesli" by Dr.
Oetker
2016:
"Evian Water" by Danone Waters
Based on the submissions, the Hamburg consumer advice center compiles a list of five particularly brazen cases of hidden price increases once a year.
She then lets consumers vote online to see who gets the dubious title of “Sham Pack of the Year”.
According to consumer advocates, these five products will stand out in 2022:
Deceptive package of the year 2022: These are the candidates
“Rama” by Upfield:
the cup hasn't changed in appearance, but instead of 500 grams it now only contains 400 grams of spreadable fat at a price of 2.18 euros.
This not only ensures a price increase of up to 25 percent, but also half a million more cups per 1000 tons of goods produced.
And the manufacturer has often been criticized for its product in the past.
"Leerdammer" from Lactalis:
Not only has the filling quantity been reduced, but the price has often been increased at the same time.
The filling quantity was reduced from 160 grams to 140 grams, the price rose from 1.99 euros to 2.49 euros – a price increase of 43 percent.
“Pringles” from Kellogg:
Last year the price was raised twice: first from 2.59 euros to 2.79 euros, and then again to 2.99 euros towards the end of the year.
At the same time, the filling quantity fell from 200 grams to 185 grams. All in all, that means an increase of 25 percent.
The "Pringles" brand had often been affected by hidden price increases in the past.
"Calgon" by Reckitt Benckiser:
Instead of just 46 loads for a pack (8.99 euros), the manufacturer now promises a total of 50 loads.
However, the recommended dosage for the water softener has changed, so consumers should now use 30 instead of 21 grams of powder per wash.
The price increase is thus 42 percent.
In addition, the VZHH complains that the manufacturer contradicts itself in its statements on the price increase.
"Goldbears" from Haribo:
The popular Goldbears are also affected: The filling quantity of the bags has fallen from 200 grams to 175 grams with the same retail price of 99 cents.
Many other products from the confectionery manufacturer from Bonn are also affected.
The surcharge for the gold bears is 14 percent - and between 500 and 1000 bags more waste per tonne of fruit gums.
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Consumers can vote on the website of the Hamburg consumer center until January 22, 2023. The result is to be announced on January 23.
You can cast your vote HERE.
Consumer advocates criticize manufacturers' practices and see politicians as having a duty
The consumer advocates criticize the business practices of the manufacturers: "The current laws give companies a lot of freedom to fool consumers," says Valet.
In other nations, such as Brazil, things are different: Manufacturers there have to provide information on the packaging about new filling quantities and packaging sizes, as well as the old and new filling quantities and percentage of shrinkage.
And this for at least six months after the fitting.
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Valet calls for specific legal requirements for reducing filling quantities and sees politics as a duty.
He also advocates stricter rules regarding the air content of packaging: "Packages must always be full."