2023-08-18 08:01:58
Buying in large quantities is often synonymous with financial advantages. However, in recent years, some organizations have denounced the establishment of false promotions during the sale of products sold in batches. According to information relayed by RTBF, the organization Foodwatch launched a citizens’ petition for special formats to be included in the legislation on promotions, which is not the case today.
These special formats mentioned by Foodwatch are common in supermarkets: Mega pack, XXL format, family format… By purchasing these items, some of the customers who do not automatically compare prices can expect a reduction that is sometimes non-existent. Consumer associations define this practice as a “serial scam”. The packaging uses promotional marketing codes such as bright colors, giant letters, etc. Their objective is to attract the customer’s attention. A customer who is not suspicious enough, because sometimes the price per kilo is more expensive in small quantities than in large quantities.
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Our colleagues from RTBF conducted the survey in several supermarkets in the country such as Cora, Carrefour, Match and GB Market. One of their conclusions is a great difficulty in finding the label displaying the prices. It is therefore more complicated for the client to carry out a comparison work. The customer can therefore rely solely on the information displayed on the product packaging.
Their other impression is the omnipresence of this practice on the shelves. 5 cents more per kilo for fries, 20 cents for a liter of iced tea packaged in 4 bottles, 1 euro for cereals, 4 euros more per kilo for mimolette and our field survey record: 8 euros of difference per kilo for a 250 gram bag of salad on its little brother of 150 grams. When they ask the department manager regarding these price differences, a labeling error is mentioned.
What solution to avoid this practice?
Currently, the more expensive special sizes are not illegal. Stores are therefore within their rights by offering a “maxi-pack” more expensive than the unit sale. Nothing illegal, but rather a moral contract with the client broken.
The solution proposed by Foodwatch via its petition is therefore to legislate these packages and offers in European promotions legislation. An area where actions are highly regulated and controlled.
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