Deceptive Practices in the FMCG Industry

• 31 May 2024

Source: TOI

Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) are everyday items like snacks and toiletries sold often. FMCG companies employ various deceptive tactics to increase sales and maintain profits, often at the expense of the consumers. These include:

• Shrinkflation: It is the practice of reducing the size or quantity of a product without lowering the price, often during periods of inflation, making it less noticeable to consumers.
• Skimpflation: It is the practice of using lower-quality raw materials or reducing services while keeping the price constant.
• Deceptive Packaging: It is the practice of under-filling containers while keeping prices the same.
• Misleading Pricing Strategies: Artificially inflate prices before offering discounts and sell slightly modified versions of popular products as premium items.
• While these tricks are not illegal, they deceive consumers, and it's essential to ensure that the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, and other regulations, which mandate clear labelling of raw materials and weights, are strictly followed.

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