Deceitful packaging seems to be an epidemic that’s so common, people don’t even bat an eye at it. It is sort of expected, in a way, to be lied to by companies.

You got tricked by packaging? Well, that’s your own fault, you should know better. Corporations will always find ways to avoid regulation and it’s now on you, the consumer, to do your due diligence and not fall for the cheap tricks. And there are many of them out there.

Take the overall feel of the packaging design, for example. This one is all about first impressions and marketers love using it to their advantage. They put so much effort into making it just right. That’s because this where they try to trip you over first.

For instance, some companies like to make their product look rustic with off-white colors and curious font choices so that you would assume the item is somewhat natural. They pop a person with a straw hat on it and voila, it seems like you plucked this product straight from a farmer’s market. Even though, quality-wise, it’s no different from the next product on the shelf.

Then, there are sleek and simple designs that give off a false impression of luxury. A neat font, a single pastel color, and minimal wording and you feel like this has to be the top-notch choice. Often, though, the only thing that makes it different from the other products is the higher price tag.

Brand names are also pretty bad offenders here. That’s because they are used as a work-around to all the rules you have to adhere to actually make your product stand out. The worst ones in this category have to be the greenwashing ones. All the names with “natural”, “healthy”, “green”, or “planet” in them. They instantly give you an impression that the item is eco-friendly even though many of those words aren’t regulated in any way. 

However, this is not the only time marketers just slap on a word on their product to elevate its value. This goes for other words such as “professional”, “plus”, or “lean.” No one needs to prove any of those to actually use them.

Then, there are claims that come under brand names. These are statements such as “made with real fruit” or “contains whole grain”. Sure, it probably does, that isn’t the lie. The thing is that to make that claim one only needs to put the tiniest amount of it in your product. 

Similarly, brands can manipulate you into thinking their product is better by adding a bunch of badges on it. This can be gluten or cholesterol free as well as claims that the food or drink is low in calories, fat, or sugar. This does not mean they are nutritionally more valuable than your other options. In fact, the low-carb claim is not even regulated, so virtually any product can have it. So, you better check the back of the label to really know what you’re getting.

While you’re checking the back of the label, don’t just pay attention to the macro nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) as they only say a fraction about how good for you the product actually is. Check the calorie content as well as serving size. The companies love to mess with the later one, as it allows them to claim the product is healthier than it actually is. 

All in all, be aware that they’re out there to get you. And if, unfortunately, you do fall into their traps—don’t worry. Just snap a picture and share it online and we can commiserate together.