When you buy a product in person at the store, what you see ought to be what you get. But more and more manufacturers are designing their packaging to be misleading. That was the case with one box of Lindt milk chocolate Lindor truffles, as shown in a video posted on Reddit.
What's happening?
The frustrated buyer recorded a video of themselves opening the package and shared it on the r/MildlyInfuriating subreddit.
The cardboard box contains a plastic window showing what appears to be an interior filled with individually wrapped chocolates. However, the window only stretches across half of the box. Opening the box from the other end reveals that it has been sectioned off with a cardboard insert and that the obscured half is completely empty, leaving the buyer with only half as many truffles as it appeared that they had.
(click here to watch the video if the embed does not appear)
Commenters were not impressed with Lindt's tactic. "This should be illegal," said one user.
"This type of packaging is actually forbidden in some countries," said another commenter.
Unfortunately, similar tactics are being used by many companies.
Why is empty space in packaging important?
The most obvious effect of this type of packaging deception is that consumers get less of a product than they think they're getting. This leads to overspending, disappointment, and higher costs as buyers need to purchase more packages to make up the difference and meet their needs.
Meanwhile, the ratio of packaging to product is unnecessarily high when items are sold this way. This drives up costs, and those increases are passed on to consumers. Not only that, the wasted packaging represents wasted resources and energy, placing unnecessary strain on the environment and our production system. We have fewer resources and more pollution because of practices like these.
Is Lindt doing anything about this?
The Lindt website said that the company is taking steps to reduce its excess packaging: "We proactively challenge our entire packaging portfolio and endeavor to reduce the amount of packaging materials used."
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
What's the most you'd pay per month to put solar panels on your roof if there was no down payment?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
$200 or more 💰 However, the existence of packages deliberately made larger than necessary to contain the materials inside indicates that Lindt is not trying hard enough. Its purported efforts to use recycled material also ring hollow in these circumstances.
What can I do to avoid similar wasteful traps?
As much as possible, choose brands that are honest and transparent about their packaging practices. Look for completely full boxes and packets. Ideally, you should also look for biodegradable materials. Paper, cardboard, and biodegradable plastic substitutes are always the superior choice.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
Cool Picks
