"Big Retail" & Consumer Manipulation

[Jai]

I've long rallied against the corporate juggernauts that hold a monopoly in the food industry - particularly the supermarket bohemeths, and the dodgy, manipulative practices that are part of the sector.

This latest observation in my local store is of interest.

In Australia, a product was introduced last year that more or less mimics a beef mince (the brand is 'Funky Fields').

Much to the outrage of the meat industry, this plant-based product found it's shelf-home in the open display fridges, right alongside the beef, pork & chicken products.

Vegetarians & Vegans were also expressing a dismay at where the stock can be found, since they don;t wan't to be perusing the flesh section.

Regardless, this is where the product can be found.

Yesterday, I noticed another product - a beef mince - that is dressed in a packaging design that leaves little doubt about the intention to misdirect consumers.

Keep in mind that product A & product B were photographed EXACTLY below one another, in a very wide open fridge spanning perhaps 10 metres.

They are the ONLY two products in the entire packaged meat section that both have a green plastic tray.

Never in my 47 years have I seen a green meat tray before 'Funky Fields' (and now the 'grass fed' guys)

Further design elements are that they both have a grass illustration on the label.

They both have a 'stamp' style statement (used to build trust)

They both have a by-line that is uses a cursive font (look at them, a very CLOSE font choice)

They both use earthy background colors

They are both the same price.

And let's remember, they are both in precisely the same section of the supermarket, one under the other.

There are too many similarities to put this down to 'co-incidence'.

 

[mavrick45]

corporate bullshittery

 

[Sax]

Plant based products copy corpse based products all the time. We're all capable of telling the difference. I'm glad we have plant based options competing head-to-head like this.

 

[Lou]

I'm not sure this is worthy of dismay. I doubt that any vegans will buy the beef product by mistake. And if a carnist buys a plant-based product by mistake. Awww. Too bad. Who knows? Maybe s/he will like it.

In all my local markets, plant-based foods are all quarantined to their own little sections. Either in the frozen food aisle or next to the tofu. Although plant milk and egg replacements are in the refrigerated dairy section, right next to the "real milk" and the "real eggs". And the frozen prepared dinners are mostly integrated. Just Mayo (which isn't refrigerated is sold next to all the other mayos. I've heard that some markets are putting Beyond Meat in the refrigerated meat section - but I haven't seen it yet.

In fact, I might even go as far as saying that moving plant-based products in with the mainstream products might even be a step in the right direction. Sort of like Full Inclusion or Integration in a school.

I think it also represents a blurring of the lines. For instance, on the mayo shelf, you have regular, miracle whip, egg-free, fat-free, and light. Why have a separate place for Just Mayo. We can use the same logic in the ground beef or what you guys call Mince. There is beef, turkey, pork, chicken, lean, pink slime, grass-fed, organic, and now plant-based.