of its products would have been impeded if the contemplated controls had been in effect during the past period of the industry's development. The alleged grossly deceptive practices which are cited in support of the proposed legislation are not chargeable to the frozen food industry. Present legislation is adequate to control misleading, unfair, and deceptive practices; and its duplication by additional controls is unnecessary, uneconomic, and unfairly burdensome to industry. It would not be in the interest of consumers, since the cost of compliance would ultimately fall upon purchasers of food products. The delegation to an administrative agency of vast discretionary authority to dictate packaging practices and to determine in advance of their use whether containers conform to an administrative concept of propriety, extends beyond the prevention of misbranding, deception, and unfair practices and vests in Government an unprecedented control of busiess policy. This association opposes such legislation as an unwarranted and undesirable fettering of American business and its legitimate development. [From Kansas Agricultural Student, February 1963] DECEPTIVE DEVICES FOOL UNWARY SHOPPERS "SILENT SALESMEN" COMPETE FOR STORE SHELF SPACE (By Andrea Torrence) Shoppers, beware! You are being deceived by "silent salesmen" who are hiding on store shelves. In the form of packages, these "silent salesmen" tell you only what manufacturers think you should know. This may be in an honest or satisfactory way, but far too many packages are deceptive and misleading. "Deceptive packaging is a problem all over the world," emphasized Dr. Richard L. D. Morse, professor and head of the department of family economics at Kansas State University and a member of President Kennedy's Consumer Advisory Council. "In these days of the self-service store and the supermarket, the package has largely taken the place of the shop assistant. Instead of the family grocer's advice, you now have to rely on these 'silent salesmen,' who usually have a well-thought-out line of sales talk planned to get you to buy the product.” Watch for these devices Deceptive devices you need to watch out for include glass jars that are molded with raised tops, thick walls, excessive height, indented bottoms and irregular or magnifying shapes; wood, cardboard and metal boxes that may be excessively large and slack-filled, or may contain false or indented bottoms or raised covers. Even little children are in danger of being fooled by the manufacturers. Have you ever watched a small child open a candy bar, sadly discovering that it was mostly wrapper? Homemakers have been tricked into buying a large boxjust because it was a large box-and arriving at home find that the box is only half full. Manufacturers defend themselves Manufacturers defend the oversized containers in which they package many many of their products on several grounds. Some point out that settling does occur. Some say they use double cardboard boxes for protection of their product. Others admit that they are trying to get "billboard" space on store shelves by making the box big enough to be seen easily. Packages like these are sure to make the product cost more; it costs more money to make a box with a false lining. Grocery shelves must be large to accommodate these bigger products, or fewer products can be placed on the shelves. Therefore, the expense of running the store is higher and this expense is passed on to you, the consumer. Most of us shoppers are not efficient enough in mental arithmetic, especially in fractions, to figure out-while standing in an aisle of a busy food storewhich is the best buy. Here is a problem which will illustrate this, and point out a deceptive packaging device. Which would be the better buy in detergents-a "large size" in a rather smallappearing package, or the “economy size" in a large package of the same brand? The net weight of the "large size" is listed as 20 ounces and priced at 30 cents. The net weight of the "economy size" is listed as 3 pounds 14 ounces and priced at 79 cents. Confusing, isn't it? After figuring this out, you will find that the small-appearing "large size" is actually more economical than the so-called economy size. Bills are being presented Bills to promote truth in packaging are being presented in the Legislature, designed to protect consumers from misleading marketing practices. Here are a few examples of the protection U.S. Senator Philip Hart's bill (S. 387) would offer: (1) Packages should contain no illustrations that might deceive the consumer as to content. A can of succotash, for example, shouldn't carry a picture of savory beef stew, even if that stew would be a logical end product of the can's contents. (2) No more "cent off" deals or "economy sized" designations would be allowed. These "come-ons" imply a control over retail price that the manufacturer doesn't have. And, too often, the consumer realizes absolutely no saving. (3) The Federal Trade Commission would be authorized to set up weights and measures in which a certain product line may be sold. Instead of having competing brands of potato chips, for example, selling in 131⁄2-, 15-, and 172ounce packages, wouldn't it be easier for the homemaker to figure her best buy if they all came in 1-pound packages, or even breakdowns of 1-pound quantities such as half-pound packages? And in all cases, net weight should be prominently displayed. (4) Packages that might deceive a consumer as to content should be eliminated. This, for instance, would bar the 6-inch cardboard tray holding the 4inch candy bar. (5) "Serving standards" should be established. How much filet of sole, for example, will "serve four"? One pound or four forkfuls? In 10 years-20,000, salesmen Senator Hart, Democrat, of Michigan, pointed out that there are about 7,500 items in the average supermarket today. Ten years from now there will probably be 20,000. That means 20,000 "salesmen" for you to cope with! There are three ways to fight against deceptive packaging, Dr. Morse points out: (1) through cooperation of manufacturers, (2) by Government legislation, and (3) by educating the consumer. "The first two solutions are in the hands of Congressmen and manufacturers," said Morse, "and it's too bad we have to legislate something that should be common sense and decency." "The third is up to you," he concluded. "Watch for these deceptive packaging devices the next time you go to the store, and help eliminate these products from the market." INDUSTRIAL UNION DEPARTMENT, AFL-CIO WALTER P. REUTHER President JAMES B. CAREY J. W. ABEL Vice-Presidents MAX GREENBERG WALTER L. MITCHELL PAUL L. PHILLIPS WILLIAM POLLOCK FRANK ROSENBLUM LOUIS STULBERG ARNOLD ZANDER |