eHalal Hamburg
🇩🇪 Some Call It Deceptive Supermarket Packaging, Others Call It Fraud
The term “deceptive packaging” should be the Unword (non-word) of the year every year until those responsible for deception in packaging, specifically in supermarkets nationwide, are held accountable. In reality, major players, manufacturers, wholesalers, and retail chains shamelessly and with impunity exploit customers by making more profit through hidden changes to packaging and content quantities. There is a faint glimmer of hope: the Consumer Center in Hamburg is fighting against fraud, once again naming the “Deceptive Packaging of the Year,” and criticizing the politics involved. Deceptive companies could be dealt with differently. However, action is not taken. A commentary by Frank Blenz.
Everything is getting more expensive, not due to a crisis, but…
Everything is getting more expensive or already is; this bitter realization angers people who look at their bills – at home or, for example, at the supermarket checkout. Price comparisons aside, tightening the belt is often the only option to save on shopping. However, the outrageous and hidden price increases do not result from a crisis but from the insidious declaration of one. The supermarket management (and especially the corporate management) does not reveal this. The “crisis” serves as an excuse to profit from deceitful tricks against the esteemed, deceived customers. The following described scam has only one goal: profit maximization, all while soothing background music plays and flattering slogans in the market emphasize how well, affordably, and sustainably one can shop at the supermarket.
List of Deceptive Packages in the Record Year
At least something is happening; the vigilant consumer advocates of the Consumer Center in Hamburg are staying on the ball for us, the customers. This month, they aim to name the Deceptive Packaging of the Year 2023 and have five candidates in mind for this election. These are products that stand out with reduced quantities, all while maintaining the same price and/or through additional price increases. The list of nominees created by the Consumer Center in Hamburg came about through numerous tips and complaints to the central office. The Hamburg-based advocates commented critically on this:
Record year for hidden price increases In addition to conventional price increases, manufacturers often simply reduce the content of their products, and the price in trade remains the same or even increases further. These well-disguised changes in content quantities (shrinkflation) are repeatedly the method of choice to implement sometimes drastic price increases.
The trade is booming; nevertheless, employers rejoice. Profits are flowing, and the Handelsblatt exults in the face of exclusive analyses that conclude corporations have increased their profits despite all the crises they’ve faced to date.
This was achieved, in part (Handelsblatt doesn’t explicitly state it), because they hold a monopoly position and exploit it in the manner of rulers, of market leaders. They do it with a corporate “culture” in which they dictate prices, entice customers with seemingly favorable offers, and deceive them with deceptive packaging.
Described by consumer protection, less product for the same money or even more money is to be paid – hidden, of course, in packages that look the same as before but are filled differently:
The tactic of deceptive packaging is no less infuriating for shoppers. If there used to be 200 grams of cheese in a familiar package, nowadays it might be 150, and with sausage, 100 can turn into 80 grams. The intention behind it is transparent: less product for the same money. These are just two examples. It doesn’t stop at the same prices either. They continue to rise, noticeably and boldly. Simple noodles, sauces – they now cost double in some cases. The customer’s wallet doesn’t double its content.
Not only are prices rising, but also the number of deceptive packaging.
The major players in the game of deception, reductions on one hand and increases on the other, really gained momentum in 2023, observed by consumer protection:
In 2023, we published more deceptive packaging cases than ever before. By the end of the year, 104 products were added to our deceptive packaging list. In 2022, there were significantly fewer with 76, and in 2021, only 47. The graph illustrates the rapid increase in volume reductions over the last five years.
Providers are clever in their approach, especially popular product categories become part of the hide-and-seek game:
The analysis of product categories is also revealing. By far the most affected by hidden price increases in 2023 were sweets (29). They are followed by convenience products (11), vegan and vegetarian foods (10), marketed as such, as well as animal products such as meat, sausage, and fish (10).
The Hamburg Consumer Association (VZ) cited specific examples in its products:
In terms of the extent of price increases, 2023 saw a new record. For Mondelez’s Tuc Bake Rolls, the price increased by an incredible 127 percent. Zentis’ almond cream Belmandel became 76 percent more expensive. We documented a hidden price increase of 63 percent for Oryza rice pudding and Froneri’s Oreo Stileis. The average price increase across all 104 published deceptive packaging cases was 24 percent.
The fraud is obvious, consumer protection is lacking, and politics is not taking action.
The numbers are on the table, and the list of candidates for Deceptive Packaging of the Year clearly shows that consumers are systematically and professionally deceived. What is politics doing? Consumer advocates state:
Many consumers feel abandoned by politics. Although the problem has been known for a long time, there have only been lip service and no improvements in recent years.
It’s worse: Consumers are being let down by politics, as the VZ’s following statement reveals a scandal:
Legally, deceptive packaging is rarely punishable. Current laws give companies a lot of leeway to deceive consumers.
It is commendable that consumer advocates assure their clients, us, the citizens, of their commitment and give a little encouragement, with a somewhat sobering limitation:
Until that changes, we will continue to stand up for you and your rights – we expose deception, publish it, and, if possible, take legal action against companies’ tricks. However, the proceedings are often lengthy and costly, with an uncertain outcome.
The fact that politics protects companies by not prosecuting obvious fraud but only publishing weak statements demonstrates their half-hearted commitment, here from the responsible Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety, and Consumer Protection. The whole thing is called an “outline paper.” In it, it is stated that when the content is reduced, the packaging of a product should also shrink.
This demand from the VZ for such lax action should be presented to the responsible minister for consideration.
The responsible minister should consider this demand from the Consumer Protection Association:
However, this does not go far enough for us. We want products with low content to no longer be allowed on the shelves; instead, all packaging must be filled to the brim by manufacturers as a fundamental change. This would be a real paradigm shift towards less deception and more sustainability. Currently, up to 30 percent air is generally allowed in the packaging, and in some cases, even more. At the same time, consumers should be able to easily recognize whether the quantity of a product has been reduced. A label directly on the packaging would be the most consumer-friendly solution.
