True Lies

The truth about contents in the stuff you buy at the grocery store is that it has all largely become a lie.

Food makers and manufacturers seem to routinely and without any remorse, make the contents of their product out of ingredients that are slightly different than what their labels say they contain. They also make the weight or volume a bit different than stated. I mean, so what that a gallon of milk or a liter of soda is a minus a few ounces? Or a cereal box contains a bit less than it says it does? Who cares, right?

Or should we care that there is less peanuts in the peanut butter than we think? In fact, if you notice, it is no longer labeled peanut butter. It is peanut spread, in which the primary ingredients are corn oil and sugar.

Take packaging on cereal boxes, for instance. Almost all of them feature their cereal with strawberries, or other fruit on the package. However, only a couple of them actually have fruit in the boxes, Honey Bunches of Oats, Cheerios Berry Blast, and of course, Raisin Bran. (But Honey Bunches of Oats is made out of corn, not oats.) I understand the need to enhance a product to make it more appealing to the buyer, and I know we all know that these cereals don’t include fruit in their boxes. But the whole thing is a deception, isn’t it?

In meat and produce departments, it is quite common for the store to put out products that are recently out of date. They don’t even bother to reduce the price or inform the customer of the fact. They just put it on the shelf in front of fresher products so that the typical unthinking customer will pick it up. So what if half of the cherry tomatoes in the box you just bought are rotten? And don’t even ask about hamburger or other ground meat. What do you think is it made of? The freshest cuts?

Stores are also deceptive, aren’t they? A recent survey showed that 18% of the products rung up at the checkout line were priced higher than they were stated on the shelf. You just got ripped off by a few bucks. Did you know it?

One truth that seems to always remain true, is “Buyer Beware.” Perhaps you do not care, or do not mind that the products you buy are not what they appear to be, or that their weight and volume is less than stated, or that some items are older and past their freshness than which they are allowed to be sold. Or perhaps you are too busy to worry about being overcharged a little at the checkout. Such complacency has led to the present situation, I think. If no one complains about it, why should stores and manufacturers change their dishonest tactics?

If I were you, I would begin to look at what you buy. Examine its contents. Get a real measurement of its weight and volume. Ask how old it is before you purchase it, especially meat or produce. If enough of us make enough noise about this to the stores where we buy our food, and if enough manufacturers hear from us, perhaps there will be honesty in the marketplace for everyone once more.