McCormick & Co., a popular spice maker, is facing a lawsuit filed by Watkins Inc., a smaller player in the spice industry, alleging that McCormick reduced the amount of pepper in its tins by 25% while still using the same size tin. McCormick’s tins contained about 8 ounces of ground pepper before the reduction and now contain about 6 ounces.
Watkins argues that McCormick is using a visual trick to make it appear as though they are selling more pepper per tin than they really are. McCormick has defended itself by stating that the amount of pepper in their tins is clearly labeled.
However, the small font of the “6 oz.” label makes it difficult to discern. This practice, known as “slack-filling,” is considered deceptive and is the reason for the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that McCormick is trying to deceive customers and gain an unfair advantage over the competition without actually improving their product. This lawsuit and a class-action lawsuit filed by angry customers are both currently matriculating through the federal court system.
This incident highlights the importance of trustworthiness on the part of corporations, as businesses that build a strong brand of trust and good community relations tend to be more successful.
