Purex Detergent - Sneaky Inflation

[sam_gordon]

The container was the exact same size so there was no reason to change the cup size. I do think it was to trick the consumer into using more product.

A. All kinds of reasons could change the cup size... maybe it uses less plastic, Maybe the studies have found it's easier to pour. Maybe it's easier to handle.
B. If the consumer would follow the directions 'Fill to the line in the cup', they don't use any more product.

I'm sorry, but 'B' is what I can't get past. I *KNOW* there are lines in the cups. I don't pay attention to where a line is on a drawing on the label. That drawing means nothing.

Granted, some people are in the habit of filling the cup halfway. Does that mean if the cup size doubled, they'd still fill it halfway?

I still don't see an effort to "trick" the consumer. If that's the way you feel, fine. Write the company, write the BBB, call your local newspaper and television stations. I'm guessing none of them will get you very far.

 

[manning]

oh boy!

 

[Alexander]

Good lord! Just go buy Purex sheets and throw 1 in the washer....Problem solved! I can't believe the "discussion" this is generating! Or for that matter, that I just sat here and read it!

 

[pilesoflaundry]

I agree, very deceptive. I have also noticed how many detergents are telling you 20% free, but they are actually just giving what used to be in the old bottles since they are shrinking the new bottles.

Frito/lay's does that too and it drives me nuts.

 

[prncess674]

A. All kinds of reasons could change the cup size... maybe it uses less plastic, Maybe the studies have found it's easier to pour. Maybe it's easier to handle.
B. If the consumer would follow the directions 'Fill to the line in the cup', they don't use any more product.

I'm sorry, but 'B' is what I can't get past. I *KNOW* there are lines in the cups. I don't pay attention to where a line is on a drawing on the label. That drawing means nothing.

Granted, some people are in the habit of filling the cup halfway. Does that mean if the cup size doubled, they'd still fill it halfway?

I still don't see an effort to "trick" the consumer. If that's the way you feel, fine. Write the company, write the BBB, call your local newspaper and television stations. I'm guessing none of them will get you very far.

Do you just enjoy being contrary?

If we shouldn't even be looking at the photo then remove it rather than put a deceptive photo on the packaging. Why change the cap and not the picture on the back? If the new cap was to save plastic then tout it as more earth friendly, but frankly I don't see how a larger cap is less plastic.

The point of the original post was to let other consumers know that this is just another way that manufacturers could potentially deceive you.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I don't think I'm missing the point.

The picture is only a representation, not an accurate indicator of how much to use - that's why the lines are in the cup. (and for the record, based on your picture, I don't think Cap B is 25% larger. Looks more like the "cuff" of the new cap is just lower; the caps look nearly the same size)

If the size of the container is the same (it is) and they haven't changed the number of loads that container can wash (they didn't) then any 'difference' in the actual loads done by the consumer is because they didn't measure correctly.

We will just have to agree to disagree, I find the picture to be deceptive advertising. The line is in the exact same place in each depiction even though one cap is 25% larger and if you notice the cap depiction is larger on bottle B but yet the line doesn't move to a lower place on the picture.

Perhaps you just like to be contrarian, but everyone else here seems to believe it is deceptive advertising. The manufacturer hopes you use the easy to read bottle picture rather than tilting the cap to see the hard to read barely visible line mixed in between the other six lines inside the cap.

Why in the world would they have A, B, C, D, 1 & 2 inside the cap when there is no mention of why those other confusing lines are inside the cap other than the 1?

bolding is mine...
Agreed!
Seems their posts on most threads head in that direction.

OP, thanks for sharing your findings with us...it allows us to be more aware of newer deceptive packaging AGAIN....

 

[sam_gordon]

Do you just enjoy being contrary?

No. I just don't like it when people blame others or accuse others of intentionally trying to deceive others without proof. I suggested early on in this thread (as did others) that you should check the volume using the line inside the cup. I believe once you finally did, the levels were the same (correct me if I'm wrong).

Honestly, I probably wouldn't have even posted on this thread if you didn't accuse the company of "false advertising". If you would have simply said "make sure you use the correct measurement because the cap sizes are different", I wouldn't have had a problem.

It seems in this day and age, people think all companies are out to "trick", "deceive", or "scam" consumers. Look at all the posts about a company "not honoring a return after the return window runs out" or other some such.

If you're unhappy with the product or how the manufacturer packages it, don't buy it.

 

[cm8]

No. I just don't like it when people blame others or accuse others of intentionally trying to deceive others without proof. I suggested early on in this thread (as did others) that you should check the volume using the line inside the cup. I believe once you finally did, the levels were the same (correct me if I'm wrong).

Honestly, I probably wouldn't have even posted on this thread if you didn't accuse the company of "false advertising". If you would have simply said "make sure you use the correct measurement because the cap sizes are different", I wouldn't have had a problem.

It seems in this day and age, people think all companies are out to "trick", "deceive", or "scam" consumers. Look at all the posts about a company "not honoring a return after the return window runs out" or other some such.

If you're unhappy with the product or how the manufacturer packages it, don't buy it.

, she did not know the company was out to deceive her till she got home and noticed the cap size. But it is YOUR opinion and there is nothing wrong with having the ability to state your concerns

 

[kelcoppens]

Quote from this article:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703808904575025021214910714.html

Making the caps difficult to read "isn't our intent whatsoever," says Greg Tipsord, general manager of laundry for Henkel A.G.'s U.S. consumer goods unit, which makes Purex detergent. Consumers do so much laundry each week that they consider themselves experts. "They all know there are directions on the back of the bottle," he says. "They just choose to ignore them."

 

[pearlieq]

Quote from this article:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703808904575025021214910714.html

Did you catch the sidebar in that article saying the average American household does 600 loads of laundry a year! Wow! That's like 12 loads a WEEK!

Do people really do that much laundry? The three of us only do maybe 6-7/week and that's only because Mom is a laundry-producing machine.

 

[kelcoppens]

Did you catch the sidebar in that article saying the average American household does 600 loads of laundry a year! Wow! That's like 12 loads a WEEK!

Do people really do that much laundry? The three of us only do maybe 6-7/week and that's only because Mom is a laundry-producing machine.

12 loads a week cannot be average!! We are a family of 4 and we do 5-6 loads a week. And my DH works outside and gets dirty!!

 

[snowywhite89]

Did you catch the sidebar in that article saying the average American household does 600 loads of laundry a year! Wow! That's like 12 loads a WEEK!

Do people really do that much laundry? The three of us only do maybe 6-7/week and that's only because Mom is a laundry-producing machine.

We have a front loader and we only do 4 loads a week.

 

[snowywhite89]

I just skimmed and did not see this question asked.

OP did you pour water into the new cup up to the 1 line and then from that cap into the original? Where did the water end up in the new cup?

 

[hipchickie]

That's why it isn't a good idea to use the cap to measure. All the brands do this - in the box of powdered Tide in my basement, the "fill" line on the scoop is about 1/3 of the way up. Why? Because they know most people won't look at the line and will use more. A lot of people don't even look at the back of the package or the lines and just use a full scoop. If they sized the scoop/cup to what is actually needed they'd sell less soap.

The first thing I do with store-bought soap is to put an appropriately sized measuring cup in/near the package. Otherwise I have my DH and kids using much more than is needed because of the way the packaging is designed. It has gotten to the point where I prefer making my own just so I'm not watching out for (and getting aggravated with) all these little tricks companies come up with to give less value for your dollar.

I thought this was a great point/ idea and the snarky response was uncalled for

 

[herdtoDisney]

I happen to use Unscented Liquid Tide HE, not Purex, but I always use half (or slightly less) detergent than called for. I nearly always do large loads and never fill the cap to the 3 line (which is for large loads). I fill it maybe half between 1 & 2, and my clothes are clean. I get more than the stated 64 loads of wash per bottle.

They changed the cap size a couple years back so I did like the other PP did-I filled the old one as usual then poured it in the new cap and made a note of the line with a sharpie. Like Mr. Purex Manager said in the article, I ignore the directions on the back

 

[manning]

The cap is the only measurement given on the back for determining how much to use.

Both bottles hold 2.12 L (2,120 mL) and state 46 loads per bottle. This would equate to approximately 46 mL per regular load. Both bottles show that you should use a half a cap of detergent.

Cap A holds ~100mL (or ~50mL per load) Cap B holds ~125mL (~62mL per load). That equates to 25% more detergent used per load. If you use Cap B you only get 34 loads per bottle rather than the 46 loads per bottle stated on the label.

According to what OP stated.

 

[maggiew]

The OP said if you fill it to the 1 line on both caps, it is the same amount.

It is just the picture on the back that is deceptive.

Maggie

I did do go back and do the measure both to the "1 line" and as I stated previously the 1 line held the stated amount. Cap A was much more representative of the picture on the bottle and was approximately 1/2 a cap. When I poured the liquid into cap B it was only about 25% of the cap! It looked like a TINY amount of detergent in such a big cup and had I not realized the caps were two different sizes I would have assumed that my go to product hadn't changed the product to deceive me. I have been using this detergent for years and a 1/2 cap has been the proper amount. It isn't illegal to make the cap bigger and move the line down, but at the same time they should have moved the line down on the drawing. What about senior citizens who can't see those barely visible marking inside the cap? They would be duped by the deceptive picture on the back.