Deceptive packages: How high inflation tempts manufacturers to hide prices

Deceptive packages: How high inflation tempts manufacturers to hide prices

According to a report from www.ndr.de, the Hamburg consumer advice center received more complaints about deceptive packaging last year than ever before. The reason for this high number of complaints is high inflation, with food manufacturers trying to hide price increases through deceptive packaging. In the months of August, September and October, the consumer advice center received over 700 complaints.

A worrying development is that not only is the content of individual products being reduced, but entire brand groups are also affected. For example, this is the case with the Haribo brand. Even the discounters’ own brands are affected.

The Hamburg consumer advice center offers consumers the opportunity to choose the “deceptive package of the year 2022”. The candidates include the Rama margarine variety, for which the price has increased by 25 percent despite containing less content. Kellogg's chips, the Calgon water softener and Haribo Goldbären are also available.

This development has an impact on the market and the consumer. The increasing number of deceptive packages influences consumers' trust in manufacturers and can lead to lower brand loyalty. Consumers could increasingly turn to alternative brands or products that deal with price increases more transparently. In addition, deceptive packaging can also lead to financial consequences for the consumer. When a product's content is reduced, the consumer is effectively paying more for less.

The Hamburg Consumer Center is committed to consumer protection and would like to draw attention to this problem by choosing the “Deceptive Package of the Year”. She calls on the industry to be more transparent with price increases and not to deceive consumers.

Source: According to a report by www.ndr.de