Have you ever thought about whether the size of spice tins matters when you buy them? It turns out, it really does! Some big spice brands, like McCormick & Co., are even dealing with lawsuits over the size of their ground pepper tins.
According to Watkins Inc., a smaller player in the industry, McCormick reduced the amount of pepper in their tins by a staggering 25%, all while keeping the tin size the same. So, you might be thinking, what’s the big deal? Let me break it down for you.
Transparency and fairness are at the heart of this issue. Watkins argues that McCormick is using a clever visual trick to make it seem like they are giving you more pepper per tin. However, in reality, you are getting less pepper than you think. The identical-looking tins can be quite deceiving.
McCormick’s tins are not see-through, making it hard to gauge how much product is actually inside. On the other hand, Watkins offers smaller-sized containers that hold the same amount of pepper as McCormick’s tins. Now that’s what I call fairness!
Watkins firmly believes that McCormick is trying to deceive customers and gain an unfair advantage over their competition. Instead of improving their product, McCormick seems to rely on deceptive packaging to make it appear better. Although McCormick’s tins do disclose the amount of pepper they contain, the font size for the “6 oz.” marker is small and hard to read at first glance.
This sneaky tactic, known as “slack-filling,” is not only deceptive but also a violation of consumer protection laws. By underfilling their tins, McCormick is shortchanging customers and not providing them with the full quantity of pepper they expect. This not only affects the value for your money but also makes it challenging to make accurate product comparisons.
So, the next time you find yourself in the spice aisle, remember not to judge a spice tin by its size alone. Take a closer look at the packaging, read the labels, and ensure you’re getting what you’re paying for. After all, it’s what’s inside that counts!