Popped expensive
This is the cheat pack of the month
04/01/2022, 10:16 am
The packaging stays, the content shrinks and the price goes up. It’s called cheat pack. The Hamburg consumer advice center takes the trouble to publicize such cheating. So once more this month.
“Once popped, never stopped”, used to be an slogan to encourage the consumption of chips. These days, or more precisely this month, the manufacturer Kellogg for its Pringles chips is giving up the negative award “Sham Pack of the Month” awarded by the Consumer Center Hamburg (VZHH) from. Because the manufacturer has secretly reduced the filling quantity.
According to the VZHH, the filling quantity of the Pringles chips has shrunk from 200 grams to 185 grams per pack in the tube can of exactly the same size – for practically all types of the product. In addition to the manufacturer Kellogg, the supermarkets and discounters obviously also want to secure a piece of the cake and have also increased the prices for the Pringles chips. At Rewe, for example, the price rose from 2.59 euros to 2.79 euros. Lidl and Penny also charge 2.79 euros. The VZHH assumes that other dealers will definitely follow.
The bottom line is that consumers are now paying 17 percent more for Pringles’ snack product. This applies not only to the Original variety, but also to the best of our knowledge other Pringles chips. At least ten flavors are listed on the manufacturer’s website. Incidentally, product photos of cans with a content of 200 grams are still shown there, although the filling quantity has shrunk to 185 grams. From the outside, no difference can be seen in the product. The new, reduced filling quantity can only be found in the small print on the packaging.
90 percent more expensive over the years
According to the consumer advocates, the manufacturers of Pringles chips have fooled snack fans at least five times by changing the filling quantities. According to the VZHH, this trick has made the chips 90 percent more expensive since 2006. The potato price increased by only 16 percent between 2006 and 2021.
After all, manufacturer Kellog confirms the hidden price increase. In one requested by the consumer center opinion it says: “(…) From time to time we adjust our pack sizes and formats to ensure that we have the right pack size for the different sales channels and eating habits of consumers. The conversion of the filling quantity has affected the entire Pringles range since March 2022. (…)”.
Consumers often have to be annoyed regarding hidden price increases. Assuming they discover them too. The VZHH offers the possibility to buy products with which customers are deceived in such a way (less content at the same price) to draw attention to. She then makes these products public and chooses them the deceptive pack of the month and of the year.