Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Deceptive packaging?
Side-by-side comparison of packaging for stain remover in local supermarkets ...
On the left, in Sainsbury, S C Johnson & Son Shout
On the right, in Lidl W5 (made for Lidl UK GmbH).
In both cases they'd be placed on the shelf broad-side on, so the front label faces the shopper. They look about the same size on that basis, W5 being a little shorter and a narrower neck but having a slightly wider base.
The full story: turned 90°, we see the widths better reflect the actual difference in weight: 500ml for Shout and 750ml (50% more) for W5. For W5, the weight is displayed in a tiny typeface; for Shout, the weight is not even displayed on the front at all (see first pic). The weights are on the back. Are consumers being well served by current weights and measures regulation?
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Tags for Forum Posts: consumer, deceptive, packaging, remover, stain
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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Apart from the fact that a ml is not a measure of weight, in practice all depends on the concentration of the stain remover ( if indeed the chemical composition of the two products is the same ) It might well be that 500ml of Shout removes more stain than 750ml of W5. In this context, current Weights and Measures regulation is probably meaningless.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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For these purposes, i.e. consumer information, it doesn't matter if its mass or liquid measure: for all practical purposes they are the same thing in this case. Weights and Measures regulation is far from being meaningless because it encompasses rules on labelling, which are inadequate.
I assume that the "chemical composition" is roughly similar, although another factor I have not considered is price and price per unit.
What I'm getting at, is that the legislation could be more helpful to consumers.
In this case, if the rules prescribed the weight/liquid measure to be displayed, in both instances, on the front in sufficiently large type face, then consumers would be alerted much more readily to the fact that the W5 container holds significantly more product than the Johnson's dispenser.
The rules on weights & measures, including labelling are weak and favour producers over consumers.
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W5 or Shout?
W5 appears to be better value. I've now noted the prices: Shout = £1.69 for 500ml, whereas W5 is 99p ... for 750ml – 40% less cost for 50% more product! For the same quantity (1 litre):
Shout = £3.40
W5 = £1.30
Per unit measure, Shout is between double and triple the price of W5, which suggests that Shout would have to be two or three times "stronger" in action than W5 to justify the higher price – but you might not want stain remover to be too powerful in its action otherwise it might remove more than the stain!
In practice since they're both pump action, about the same amount of liquid would be sprayed on.
In the absence of strong consumer protection, it pays to compare prices and quantities. Is one of the retailers involved, ripping off the consumer?
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Permalink Reply by Louise Nazeraj on
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Hmm, I shall have to check labels more closely in future to avoid being bamboozled. At least they are both same product - I thought one might be milk or something, which would be something to shout about. (see what I did there).
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Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on
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I always knew the W5 was roomier and goes much further than it looks. Pity we didn't get a similar W1 on WR.
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