Briefly
- Consumers often feel cheated in grocery stores, especially when it comes to product sizes.
- A discussion on Reddit revealed that Nordfjord Kjøtt has been selling 300g packs for several years, but many are expecting 400g.
- It is not illegal to label the package, according to the Consumer Council.
- Food influencer Christopher Tvilde believes better communication from stores and producers is essential.
The discussion got heated. Participate in the Reddit discussion forum, One user posted a photo of a 300g package of pork paste from Nordfjord Meat.
“I should start being more careful when I buy tacos too, I've never seen 300 grams of meat in such packages,” the user wrote.
Or have they? We're so prepared for the shrinking inflation in stores that we automatically assume they've shrunk, but Redditors can tell you that this bundle has always been that way.
This means: It turns out that Nordfjord Kjøtt has been selling pork paste in smaller packages for several years, in addition to the regular 400g and 650g packages, according to category and purchasing manager Magnus Storreseth Mathiesen.
It's a problem, according to Christopher Tvilde, food influencer and author of Sparekokeboka.
Transparency: Christopher Tvilde believes that supermarkets would benefit greatly from being more clear about when and why they reduce food packaging. Photo: Christian Ridder Nielsen/Dagbladet
Show more
– A pack of minced meat is expected to be 400 grams. If there is more, it is usually very clear on the package, but if there is less, it is the opposite. Then you have to look with a magnifying glass to take it with you, Tveldi tells DinSide.
It also highlights potato chips as an example of a product where both manufacturers and stores are good at highlighting larger sizes.
DinSide has made repeated attempts to contact Nordfjord Kjøtt, but to no avail.
Check the price per kilo: Gunstein instefjord at the Consumer Council encourages everyone to check the price per kilo carefully. Photo: John Trygve Tollefsen
Show more
– Shooting himself in the foot
Tvilde believes that stores and manufacturers will lose out in the long run if they don't communicate more clearly.
– Take strawberries. At the beginning of the season, the baskets are smaller, because there aren't as many berries. That's a good explanation, but it's no wonder customers feel cheated when they're used to buying half a kilo, says Tveldi.
– I really think the stores and manufacturers are shooting themselves in the foot here.
– Another form of deflationary inflation
He believes customers would be more understanding if stores and manufacturers were more transparent when they changed the size or price.
– I miss that stores are more transparent about their prices. At least for what could be seen as deflationary inflation.
– At Rema 1000 we strive to provide a wide range of products for all types of customers and families, at reasonable prices. That's why Nordfjord pork paste comes in several sizes. 300g, 400g, 650g, Magnus Størseth Mathisen at Rema 1000 writes in an email to DinSide.
Plus Size: Larger than normal packages are clearly marked in blue in the upper right corner of the label. Smaller packages are not. Photo: Elizabeth Dalsig
Show more
– All products are clearly marked with content type and quantity, so customers can easily find their favorite products,
DinSide only found 300g of pork in the stores we checked.
– Check the price per kilo!
Although manufacturers and stores may lose their reputation in the long run, there is no doubt that consumers are the ones who lose when sizes differ.
– The fact that Nordfjord sells pork paste in 300g packages is not prohibited, but the practice means that it is important for us as consumers to be aware of it, Gunstein Enstfjord, head of consumer policy at the Consumer Council, tells DinSide.
His advice is well-known, but still worth highlighting:
– Take the unit price as a starting point, i.e. the price per kilogram or liter, because it is easier to compare prices in the store.
The unit price should be clearly displayed on store shelves.
“Explorer. Unapologetic entrepreneur. Alcohol fanatic. Certified writer. Wannabe tv evangelist. Twitter fanatic. Student. Web scholar. Travel buff.”
