We have quite a few people in our household, and have been enjoying some packet soups to keep warm recently. Knowing Continental’s Chicken Noodle Soup was popular, a family member decided to buy some 4 packs instead of the 2 packs. On opening a packet I found an underwhelming amount of powder that barely gave any flavour. I wound up having to use 2 packets each time to make it edible. So I did some investigating.
You’ll notice the latter is even highlighted as ‘Low Price’ on Woolworths’ website. But the 4 pack has LESS soup in it than the 2 pack, and works out more expensive per 100g. Yes you can argue there is a very minor difference in product names, but with the similarities plus the ‘LOW PRICE’ highlight, this looks pretty shonky to me!
Sure ticks the boxes for shonky for me.
But, I had a look at Continental’s web site and there is no mention of 4 pack products there.
Maybe it is a special product for the supermarkets?
Maybe it is designed for those who want a small cup of soup rather than a small cup of tea?
I want soup in a big mug or a bowl, and the 2 packs are what I buy.
These aren’t the same product. While their names are similar (but not exactly the same), the nutritional panel and ingredient lists are giveaways and show they are different products. The packaging is also different.
Not shonky, but possibly easily leads to confusion. Maybe Continental marketing team should consider better differentiation of their products.
I did acknowledge that. Would the average shopper looking in the supermarket realise this though? Same brand. Similar name. Same mixing suggestion. A 4 pack with a big ‘VALUE’ label (displayed at my local woolworths, and highlighted on their website).
The difference is one provides 30g per pack, and the other a measly 10g.
It sure fooled my mum, who had the following comment: ‘They just keep finding new ways to rip us off don’t they.’
While I agree, it could be easily confused as being the same product if one isn’t careful or reads the label when shopping.
This is why I suggested the marketing team better differentiate their products…while the packaging is different, maybe better names to distinguish them as two separate products.
Does it not strike you as weird that the only products in the range that contain 10g sachets are the 4 packs? All the 2 packs are 30g sachets. All the 4 packs are the same price for less product
No, because they are different products, so cannot be compared by weight alone. Noodles and soup/flavour mix are differentiators and affect costs, prices, and profits.
Fora completely different product. The 2 packs are much heartier meals. The little packs are akin to a cup of tea. Surely consumers can pick the difference. It’s a choice.
Both show the same picture. You’re right that the consistency of the 4 pack ones are like a tea rather than a soup. The look more like discoloured water than the soup on the front of the pack
That is incorrect. They show a same cup but the noodles appear to be different in the photos you supplied in your OP, and one is labelled Chicken with Lots of Noodles, the other Chicken Noodle. As for the cup, it is their schtick and possibly even trademarked so would appear on their products.
The preponderance of opinion is there is nothing Shonky about the two products pricing as they are demonstrably different products, so I am replacing the SpotAShonky category with Shopping.
You know what? I think I should start doing something like this. Make a soup concentrate, freeze it in ice cube trays and just add boiling water for soup. Maybe that can be a food challenge month for next winter
