Overview

• 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.