Mogel packs in the supermarket: Consumers are calling for clear labeling!

Mogel packs in the supermarket: Consumers are calling for clear labeling!

The coordination for the "Consuming INTER 2025" has started. The choice for the Mogelpack is organized by the Consumer Culture Institute (VKI) and runs from September 3 to October 5, 2025. The call for participation is on the platform www.vki.at/ente2025 spread. For fifteen years, the page www.konsument.at/zeitmittel-check has been able to collect information on discrepancies in food. VKI experts check these messages and publish the results that are made accessible to the public.

A total of 1,430 "food checks" were already carried out as part of this initiative. Five special products were nominated for 2023, including the Asia Green Garden Mie noodles that were made with wheat flour from Australia while production took place in China. The Billa Vitamin Water raspberry brings it to about seven cubes sugar per 0.5-liter bottle and the Eskimo Magnum recorded a reduction in the portion size by ten milliliters with simultaneous price increase of up to 14 percent. For the Mars protein bar, which contains 18 grams of sugar and 190 kilocalories, consumers pay: 80 percent more than for the original. Finally, the NÖM Cremix Pistachie Pro cup only contains two pistachios and additionally dyes as well as flavors for color and taste.

Mogel packs as a recurring problem

The discussion about fashion packs is anything but new. According to the Consumer Center Federal Association (VZBV) Add such cases in the supermarket. Fill quantities are often reduced while the prices remain the same. A classic example is the reduction of string fat from 500 grams to 400 grams, while consumers have to pay the same price inside. Consumers: Inside, these hidden price increases often do not recognize immediately, although they increase massively.

In order to counteract this problem, consumer advice centers in Germany are calling for regulation of deceptive packaging. Ramona Pop from vzbv is committed to ensuring that all products with changed compositions or reduced filling quantities are clearly marked. For comparison, over 100 deceptive packages were documented in the Hamburg consumer center in 2023; the highest number in years. Further high numbers of complaints are expected for 2024.

Tricks from the manufacturers and legal measures

The methods used by food manufacturers to cover up fashion packs are numerous. Manufacturers use techniques such as double floors or large cardboard boxes to awaken the appearance of larger fill quantities. The introduction of strict legal rules could reduce the size of oversized packaging by up to 27 percent and thus contribute decisively to avoid waste. It is estimated that up to 1.4 million garbage cans in Germany could be saved annually if manufacturers are forced to pack more efficiently.

The measurement and calibration law prohibits selling products with disproportionate amount of air, but so far there are no clear provisions that determine when a product is considered a foggy pack. The VZBV therefore suggests that manufacturers should be obliged to attach warnings if the price remains the same or rises during the content. In countries such as France and Hungary, regulations for the identification of fashion packs are already in force that could serve as a model for other countries.

The problem of fashion packs not only affects food, but also extends to cosmetics, nutritional supplements and household cleaners. In view of the increasing consumer complaints and the associated reporting by Stiftung Warentest and other organizations, it is urgently time for sustainable legal measures.