British shoppers have been left puzzled by product information printed on the back of a Lidl crisp packet about where the potatoes used have originated from.
A post on Reddit sparked a nationwide conversation regarding the sourcing of Lidl’s spuds after a person uploaded a photo of their Sea Salt & Black Peppercorn crisp packet.
Uploaded onto the subreddit r/Britain by user @ruby-shark on August 22, the post has since amassed 1,500 upvotes and 224 comments from curious consumers.
The user posted the photo alongside the caption ‘I have some questions…’ – circling two areas for assessment from fellow Reddit users.
The ‘deluxe’ hand-cooked potato crisps have ‘100 per cent British Potatoes’ printed in the description area for ingredients used.
The Lidl potato crisps have ‘100% British Potatoes’ printed in the description area, but in the ‘best before’ section, the product is stated to contain ‘non-British potatoes’
However, in the ‘best before’ section at the bottom of the same packet, it is stated that the product contains ‘non-British potatoes.’
People took to the comments to express confusion and scepticism at the information printed, or attempted to work out the reason as to why potatoes from non-British countries have been used.
One baffled person jokingly wrote: ‘They’re British as in they’re processed in a factory named ‘British.”
Some Reddit users suggested smart marketing reasons as to why two different types of potatoes were stated on the packone saying: ‘It contains potatoes that are 100 per cent homegrown British, but not all potatoes are those.’
Another wrote: ‘It contains 100 per cent British potatoes, but not all potatoes are British. It makes sense in a twisted marketing way.’
Other individuals, however, put the confusing product information down to temporary potato shortages.
One said: ‘They obviously had a temporary shortage of British spuds and rather than changing the film reels they just added a note to the date code which is printed onto the bag and can be edited when required.’
Another wrote: ‘Their standard policy is to use only British potatoes. However, due to a shortage I assume, they are temporarily using an alternative, so they’ve made this clear on the packaging.
Reddit users expressed confusion and skepticism at the information printed, or attempted to work out the reason as to why potatoes from non-British countries have been used
‘In a similar way, companies which normally use free range eggs are sometimes forced to use eggs from caged hens due to shortages or bird flu.’
Some puzzled consumers stated that the information on the packaging is misleading, with one writing: ‘False advertising is not a good look. Can I supply you with British asparagus? Yes, for one month of the year.
‘So should I call my firm British Asparagus Company? Sure, as long as it’s only selling for a month a year. Otherwise I’m lying.’
Another wrote: ‘Hand cooked and small batches are also completely meaningless marketing.
‘How many is a small batch? 3 potatoes? 3 kg? 3 tons? Picking them from the fryer by hand are they? Or, made in some factory by humans?
In 2016, Richard Evershed, a professor of biogeochemistry at the University of Bristol, explained how shoppers are being duped by misleading claims on packs – including duck paté made with pork fat and chicken plumped up with water.
MailOnline have contacted Lidl for further comments.
