Sweets in Christmas packages are ubiquitous in Austrian shops for the holidays. But no matter how beautiful the sweets look in festive attire and entice people to buy them, consumers have to dig deeper into their pockets, according to current research by foodwatch Austria. The consumer advocates see a “swindler” and have scrutinized the prices of the candy in the Christmas wrapper.
Favorite chocolate in a chic Christmas box, children’s delicacies in festive, colorful packaging: anyone walking through a local grocery store these days will not be able to ignore the Christmas editions of the most popular sweets among Austrians. Before the holidays, Foodwatch Austria looked at the candies in Christmas packaging in various stores and compared the prices with the packaging that is normally available all year round.
“We found a whole range of products that are many times more expensive in the Christmas form than in the classic packaging,” confirms Heidi Porstner, head of foodwatch Austria, to krone.at. As with foodwatch’s Easter chocolate check, Raffaello is also a front runner at Christmas: Raffaello in the mini Christmas gift box is no less than 195% more expensive per 100 g at a large supermarket chain, Porstner calculates.
Without a Christmas outfit you can save a lot of euros
Another example: Ferrero Rocher is currently offered in Christmas tree packaging in a major drugstore chain. But beware: the Christmas glitter around the candies costs 86 percent more than the brand’s simple gift wrap, so the consumer advocates make it clear how you can save a few euros before Christmas. The popular Lindor balls are also “a real rip-off” in a Christmas outfit, according to the NGO. The small poinsettia sparkles – calculated on the 100 grams – with no less than 115 percent additional costs, according to the sobering calculation.
Consumers often only notice the sometimes enormous price differences between “normal” and Christmas products when we compare the basic prices. But they are often printed very small on the supermarket shelf and are difficult to read,” criticizes the head of foodwatch Austria. Conclusion: “It is only on closer inspection that it becomes clear that some manufacturers and dealers are taking a lot of money out of our pockets with such price increases at Christmas”.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
