Dr. Oetker's cheese crumbles: scandalous price increase of 90%!

Dr. Oetker's cheese crumbles: scandalous price increase of 90%!

In Cologne, Dr. Oetker's “cheese crumble” baking mix caused a stir after it was named “sham package of the month” by the consumer advice center in November. The excitement comes from the fact that the filling quantity of the baking mix has now been reduced from 730 grams to 370 grams. The price has only fallen slightly – from 3.99 euros to 3.79 euros. This handling effectively results in a price increase of almost 90 percent per kilogram, which outrages many consumers. Chip reports that ...

The Hamburg Consumer Center found that all other aspects of the baking mix remained largely unchanged, despite the marketing claim that it was a “classic reinterpreted”. This leads to the conclusion that the company is trying to deliberately conceal the actual value and the reduction in quantity through clever packaging changes, which is viewed as deception. The new packaging also suggests that this is a new product.

Price increases and consumer deception

In addition to the problem areas with Dr. Oetker Baking Mixture, the consumer advice center is concerned about the general practice of food manufacturers to manipulate the quality and quantity of their products. Many manufacturers use tricks such as large packaging and lots of air to deceive consumers. In many cases, the filling quantity is reduced or the recipes are kept simpler, while the prices do not fall accordingly. The consumer advice center explains that ...

The demands of the consumer advice centers are clear: Packaging should be filled to the brim, unless there are technical reasons against it. One indication is that there should be no more than 30 percent air in a pack. However, no such transparency can be seen in the cheese and crumble baking mix, which only raises further questions. Consumers are advised to contact consumer protection organizations if they suspect deceptive packaging.

Legal framework

The current legal regulations regarding deceptive packaging are not very precise and so it remains difficult to punish such deceptions. Stricter regulations could force manufacturers to reduce their packaging, resulting in huge savings in packaging waste. According to estimates, up to 1.4 million garbage cans could be saved annually in Germany. This would not only help the environment, but also support consumers who are suffering from the pressure of rising living costs.

In many countries, including France, a requirement to label deceptive packaging will be introduced from July 2024. Perhaps this could also be a step in the right direction in Germany.

With this situation it is clear that consumers should always remain critical and question manufacturers' supposed decisions as to whether the offers actually represent good business or whether there is more than just a little air in the packaging.