Health

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Those Devilish Keebler Elves Are at It Again

Oh those devilish Keebler elves apparently tired of downsizing their cookie packages have developed a new bad habit. According to Steven R., they have learned to talk out of both sides of their mouth.

Our consumer sent us photographs of a package of Keebler Country Style Oatmeal with Raisins, which clearly says on the front of the package in the bottom left hand corner that the product contains “no high fructose corn syrup.”

Keebler Oatmeal cookies

However, on the back of the bag, the ingredients statement tells a different story.

*Mouse Print:

Keebler oatmeal cookies ingredients

We asked the company about the sweetener discrepancy. (Clearly they are not paying attention to the front label having left out the word “cookies.”)

A spokesperson replied with this statement:

Keebler Country Oatmeal Cookies has a printing error on the front of the package. The product does contain high fructose corn syrup which is included in the list of ingredients on the back of the package. We regret any confusion.

The company did not explain how this happened or for how long the misrepresentation was there.

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Are Dispensing Holes in Products Getting Bigger So You Use More?

We have reported on various packaging and product tricks like shrinkflation, skimpflation, slack-fill, and measuring cap changes, but we haven’t talked about the size of the holes through which a product is dispensed. Some people have suggested the hole is getting bigger, so you wind up using more. We even got an inquiry from a New Zealand consumer TV show asking about this.

So MrConsumer checked his bountiful stock of toothpaste and found two tubes to compare. While not a perfect comparison because they are different varieties, it gives you a good sense if the allegations are true at least for Colgate.

The tube on top is Colgate Optic White with an expiration date in 2023 while the one beneath expired in 2013 — a 10 year difference.

Colgate boxes

Checking the diameter of the holes reveals something surprising.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Colgate holes

They are both 8mm wide. So at least with respect to these varieties of Colgate over a decade, the hole did not get bigger.

I am not able to compare Crest tubes because I do not use the brand generally and don’t have a supply of old ones. Maybe some readers do and can take measurements and report them in the comments.

Even if it is just a perception that toothpaste holes are too big and may be getting bigger, a product called Screwge was sent to me to make toothpaste tubes last longer. These are specially-made replacement caps for both Colgate and Crest with only a tiny hole in them, so you use much less.

Screwge

With respect to other products, the hole on some eye drop bottles is larger than it needs to be because the drops wind up dripping down one’s face.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Eye Drop holes

Dr. S, a regular reader and optometrist, wrote in to say you can screw on a cap replacement called Nanodropper that dispenses a smaller drop to reduce waste. It is compatible with most, but not all eyecare products.

And clearly, the hole on Dawn dishwashing liquid has gotten larger over the years.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Dawn holes

Feel free to comment on the hole size of various products you use in the comments.

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Some Supplements Mislead Buyers on Dosing and Strength

We recently got an email from Diana B. who had just bought some calcium supplements. The front of the bottle said 1000 mg. and that there were 90 capsules inside. She reasonably believed she was buying a three-month supply.

Here is a similar, but larger bottle:

Solaray 1000

She discovered when looking at the back of the bottle, that in order to get the 1000 mg. of calcium promised on the front of the bottle she had to take four capsules.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Solaray Nutrition Label

We asked the company, Solaray, why they don’t disclose that on the front of the bottle to prevent purchasers from being misled. The company did not respond. What they recently have done, it appears, is to add the words “per serving” in small print.

Solaray per serving

Would that put prospective purchasers on sufficient notice that you needed to take four capsules to get the stated amount of calcium? We don’t think so. A better approach is what GNC has done right on the front of its calcium citrate label.

GNC Calcium

They say, albeit in tiny print, that you need to take four caplets to get the stated amount of calcium, and separately the number of days you get out of each bottle.