3 On Your Side: Pointless Oversized Packaging
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A warning about what some say are misleading products. These are items that may have you thinking you're getting more for your money than you really are. Consumer reporter Jim Donovan investigates and shows you the simple thing you can do to shop smarter.
What if you bought a can of soda, and it was only half full or purchased a container of nuts and inside was mostly air, you'd probably be disappointed.
With some products, like potato chips for instance, that empty space obviously serves a purpose.
"Air in the bag forms a pillow so there won't be any crushing of the contents during transportation," said Edgar Dworsky with ConsumerWorld.org.
But for other items, consumer advocate Edgar Dworsky says over-sized packages are pointless.
"Really serves no function at all and it's just deceiving to the customer, you think you're buying a bigger quantity because the package is bigger," said Dworsky.
There's even a name for it, slack fill.
"You have false sides, or false bottoms that's trying to make the product look bigger than it really is," said Dworsky."
In September CVS agreed to pay $225,000 to settle charges in California that it mislead consumers by selling store brand beauty products in oversized packaging.
When 3 On Your Side went shopping we found several CVS brand items like this anti-wrinkle and firming cream where the packaging was much larger than the product. And we saw it in name brand products too, like Neutrogena wrinkle repair.
In a statement, CVS told us they design their packaging to be similar to national brands. But as part of the settlement in California, they've agreed to redesign the packaging of some items.
In some cases, if you look closely the packaging may show an image or outline of the product inside. But the only way to be sure of what you're getting is to look for the net weight.
"You're not buying the packaging, you're buying the contents," said Dworsky.
Neutrogena told 3 On Your Side, it continually evaluates and revises product packaging to ensure compliance with regulations and to provide a better consumer experience.
