I learned a new marketing trick today

We’ve all heard of shrink-flation, where the corporation reduces the size of the package but keeps the price the same.

This one is called “Slack Fill”, where they put so much packaging around it that there’s almost nothing in the box. Here’s a good one: valentines chocolates:

A lovely heart shaped box, with plastic “wells” to keep the chocolates from bumping into each other. How many chocolates? Have a look:

Here’s the story in WaPo:

10 Likes

I’m hoping I get one of these…

'38Packard

4 Likes

Not so new. Companies have been reducing the fill of the same packages for years. Or fill the potato chip bag with nitrogen to protect the product from crushing.

Watch those net wt numbers.

Watering down products. Putting air bubbles in deodorant sticks. It goes on and on.

Consumer beware.

2 Likes

True for as many years as I’ve been a consumer, I guess… But if we find a product we really like, most things can be found for discounts, or in bulk to drop the price per oz, lb, to keep it in range… Some things we just have to pay dearly for, like See’s Candy, seems not to slow the demand, we do use either corporate or other discount cards, but DW just paid a goodly sum for a few pounds, definitely will be enjoyed, but now shared by the GK’s…

1 Like

This is a feature not a bug!
This is a solution to the "will I look fat after eating this box of chocolates" question that may be asked.

Mike