Channel 4’s Supershoppers has revealed that a number of leading snack food brands filled bags of crisps with more than 50 per cent air – or nitrogen – to keep them fresh.
Although this is quite legal many shoppers often complain about just how much air they are are paying for.
However, the Food and Drink Federation, which represents manufacturers, says that air, or nitrogen, is added to packets because it helps protect the contents during transportation.
The federation says: “Packaged food is sold on a weight/volume basis which is shown on the packaging itself. Companies are legally obliged to limit the amount of packaging they use and so what they are using has to have a clear purpose.”
Investigative consumer journalist who appears in many national publications, Harry Wallop, reported that a bag of Walkers salt and vinegar crisps bought for 60p at Tesco only actually contained 28 crisps!
