False Advertising Ignored by TPTB

Where is the force of law that protects consumers from false advertising?

I submit to you that is is ignored by TPTB because they are controlled by the big corporations.

My family buys Wal-Mart brand cola (Sams Cola) each week and has for years. It used to be 58 cents a 2 liter then about a year ago went up to 68 cents. Right now they have special 74.4 ounce bottles on the shelves that cost 78 cents. A regular 2 liter is 67.6 ounces. ( it was still 68 cents just up until the point they came out with the larger bottles) The big sign across the top of the bottle says," 10 % more Free !"

It's not free, they are charging you for it.

What is now going to happen is they will bring back the normal 2 liter bottles but keep the 78 cents price tag.

I used to go into places like taco Bell and sometimes I would get a really small nacho bell grande. There is a big picture on the wall of what the product is supposed to look like. How often has this happened to you?

I have been known to say to the manager, "Hey, this doesn't look like the picture, That's false advertising!" They would remake the ordered item much better. ( This really works and I encourage you all to do this)

I know there is no such thing as truth in advertising but that's no reason for them to out right lie to us to make a buck. There are laws against that sort of thing.

What is it going to take for us to get TPTB to do their job and enforce these false advertising laws?

I would like the ATS family to submit their false advertising horror stories.

Perhaps together we can figure out a way to get something done about this.


[edit on 30-7-2010 by JohnPhoenix]

You'll get called a communist obama sympathiser if you wanna do that.

double-u tea eff are you shopping at walmart in the first place?

But I agree, there needs to be stricter advertising laws.

Originally posted by JohnPhoenix


I have been known to say to the manager, "Hey, this doesn't look like the picture, That's false advertising!" They would remake the ordered item much better. ( This really works and I encourage you all to do this)

I agree 100% about how False Advertising is running rampant in today's market. And that is why crappy products get sold in mass, when they are marketed as higher quality products.

Also the government turns a complete blind eye to this practice, as I never see them use the law to put a stop to it. There are laws in place to clamp down on this but they are ignored purposely.

Also, thanks for the tip. I am going to complain next time at a fast food place the way you did. I want a higher quality product as well. Thank you so much for the tip. I will totally utilize this. Mwhahahaha

[edit on 30-7-2010 by muzzleflash]

reply to post by muzzleflash


And they'll probably spit in your food too.

Just take your business elsewhere.

Originally posted by ghostsoldier
reply to post by muzzleflash

 

And they'll probably spit in your food too.

Just take your business elsewhere.

I wish they would.

I would sue the living crap out of them and have it all over the local news.

I WISH. Hah! I need a easy job like suing a big corporation for tons of money I don't deserve. That would be Heaven!

But alas. I am stuck with nice people who won't spit on my burger.

Originally posted by JohnPhoenix
I used to go into places like taco Bell and sometimes I would get a really small nacho bell grande. There is a big picture on the wall of what the product is supposed to look like. How often has this happened to you?

I have been known to say to the manager, "Hey, this doesn't look like the picture, That's false advertising!" They would remake the ordered item much better. ( This really works and I encourage you all to do this)
[edit on 30-7-2010 by JohnPhoenix]

Those fast food workers have ZERO motivation to uphold any moral ethics based upon their pay level and work load. Make them MAD and its HIGHLY likely you will receive extra UNDESIRABLE ingredients in your food. I certainly would not "encourage" everyone to have them "remake" your food just because the "fast food" you received was not elegant looking in appearance. Agree?

At extremely elegant and expensive restaurants I wont even dare send food back. I will not anger those who prepare what I ingest. NEVER!!

Edit: typos



[edit on 30-7-2010 by SunIsSon]

It's a good thing the Taco Bell manager didn't give the actual "food"
represented in the Taco Bell picture. It would have looked nice
but it would have been plastic....just sayin'

I'm still pissed after the RoboCut

reply to post by JohnPhoenix


Sorry no sympathy from me as I put walmart into the same category as most put the Devil.
They bankrupt mom and pop shops and then monopolize complete areas.
I simply won’t give them my business.

reply to post by muzzleflash


If someone spit in your food a minimum wage worker would be looking for a job soon thereafter and you may win an award in court after spending years and in the end the award would go to paying your attorney bill sadly.

As far as false advertising goes if you see what you believe to be bad business practice, do the worst thing anyone could do, take your business elsewhere.

Well, I am sure everyone has seen advertisements in the store that have items for sale and when you get to the register, the price is different.

I ALWAYS call them on it, I do not care if there is 10 people behind me.

That I believe is covered under a law that is not considered false advertising but fraud. The owner can actually be charged with a criminal offense not just sued for false advertising.

I think it had to do with companies advertising one product, you get to the store and they are all sold out, BUT they have another similar product at twice the price.

What I do not like is the fact that food producers are not allowed to advertise that their product is not GM. Wonder if the government is complicit with their corporate whore big agri in that?

edit to add-also, I have caught my grocer with a big made in USA sign on some vegetable and fruit stands. When you read the print on the package or the item, LO and BEHOLD produced somewhere else. I have told the manager there, if I catch them doing it any longer I will find a lawyer and sue. Imagine the jury in a suit where the company advertises foreign products as American. I would own that store.

Buy local, local, local, local. The government will not do it, they will hire Chinese contractors and chinese products, you tell me if the government actually cares about us.

China Construction America

[edit on 7/30/2010 by endisnighe]

Originally posted by SunIsSon

Originally posted by JohnPhoenix


I have been known to say to the manager, "Hey, this doesn't look like the picture, That's false advertising!" They would remake the ordered item much better. ( This really works and I encourage you all to do this)
[edit on 30-7-2010 by JohnPhoenix]

Those fast food workers have ZERO motivation to uphold any moral ethics based upon their pay level and work load. Make them MAD and its HIGHLY likely you will receive extra UNDESIRABLE ingredients in your food. I certainly would not "encourage" everyone to have them "remake" your food just because the "fast food" you received was not elegant looking in appearance. Agree?

At extremely elegant and expensive restaurants I wont even dare send food back. I will not anger those who prepare what I ingest. NEVER!!

I do not agree. I didn't send the food back because it was not 'elegant'. I sent it back because it was a tiny portion of the product that was advertised. I was ripped off.

Every time I have done this the manager always agreed with me and apologized. One counter girl even remarked, " Well it never looks like the picture" She was fired.

It is more acceptable in fine restaurants to send the food back if it's not to your liking. It is in fact encouraged by the establishments themselves. This has always been a long standing tradition in any fine dining establishment. The cooks pride is at stake as well as your return visit. They want to get it right and make you happy.

I do not believe in taking my business elsewhere.

I want to shop where I want to shop. The people who falsely advertise products are wrong and they are law breakers. They need to be called out on it so they do not mislead other people. They have to be stopped. I have a right as a consumer to do my duty and do what I can to stop these people. This is best for our country and it's consumers.

If you just keep walking away you send a message to these corporate law breakers that they can get away with anything.

reply to post by JohnPhoenix


These types of tricks are very common. When they get caught out you will find there was a 'pricing error'

Another common trend is gradual product size reduction while the price remains the same. When they get caught out they are 'protecting the consumer from price increases'

Yet another is putting the price of a product up then offering BOGOF

And yet another is offering two sizes of product where the larger is actually worse value for money. With wine they sell the cheapest wine at a higher price tag than better wines. Because people tend to buy wine one step up profits are again maximised.

The short answer is that teams of lawyers, marketeers and psychologists work out how to maximise profits with the least risk. This involves a continuously varying selection of products and methods employed by the retailer and manufacturer, often in conjunction

reply to post by JohnPhoenix


Although you point out some shady-dealings, I'd worry more about what you're eating (fast-food and soda) than what these cunning marketers are doing. Seriously.

But thanks for opening up our eyes to yet more tricks of the trade.