Consumer Group Launches Vote for 'Deceptive Packaging of the Year' Award

Five products are nominated for the dubious honor due to hidden price hikes and reduced contents, with public voting open until January 21.

The Hamburg Consumer Center has nominated five products for the 'Deceptive Packaging of the Year' award, highlighting hidden price increases through reduced content or quality.
Nominees include Lebensbaum's tomato seasoning, Cremissimo vanilla ice cream, Granini orange juice, Biscotto waffle crisps, and Dove shower cream, all criticized for misleading packaging or pricing practices.
Examples include Granini's reduction of orange juice content from 100% to 50% while maintaining the same price, and Dove's smaller bottle sold as a 'premium' product at nearly double the cost.
Consumer advocates report that while fewer products (67) were affected by deceptive practices in 2024 compared to 104 in 2023, the average price hike per product rose significantly to 31.5%.
The Consumer Center is calling for clearer labeling of packaging changes in Germany, aligning with practices already implemented in countries like France, Hungary, and Brazil.