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this post was submitted on 12 Feb 2024
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I remember people online vehemently defending potato chips companies filling up their packaging with air. Where are they now?
...here! Kinda at least - hear me out.
There's a ratio of air-to-chip that gives the optimal amount of chips to most protection provided by the 'pillow' of air. Exceed that and you've got a bag of chip sawdust or need to switch to hard packaging like Pringles tubes (which... Pringles don't really cost more, so maybe tubes are the way to go anyway).
IIRC that ratio is something like 30% chip to 70% air by volume. Which feels like you're getting ripped off, but is defensible for quality sake.
The 'kinda' kicks in when chip manufacturers know they've trained us to expect a low chip-to-air ratio, and crank it up to like 10-90, and keep the cost the same. That's just fucking the consumer, and the manufacturers can go to hell for that shit.
Thing is, I often find brands that have 50-70% crisp, and yet it's not broken up into little pieces.
I sincerely don't understand how any of this is an issue for anyone.
They print the weight of the chips on the bags! You don't need to blindly guess based on bag size and apparent chip-to-air ratios!
the issue is they know our brains are stupid and emotional. 'oh BIG BAG!" excitement literally short circuits our brain into thinking it's a better deal; even if people do read the label and see the weight, its hard to not fall for.
These companies have spent millions on learning all the neuroscience to do just that.
I’ve always gotten my favorite breakfast cereal since I was a kid. The rest of my family doesn’t eat it so it’s always been just me.
Most of my life, I just got the regular size. Then I had to get the family size to get the same amount for just me. Then the “new larger family size” to get the same amount. Then the “large” size. Now I buy the “mega” size box to get the same amount , for just me. I suppose it sounds exciting but I just want to have my bowl of cereal in the morning and have the box last the week
I agree that numbers can be tough for our easily-deceived little monkey brains, but you could also just pick up two bags of chips at once and feel which is heavier. I bet even literal monkeys could figure it out.
The fact that multi-national corporations are trying this hard to trick us is all the more reason to take the time to figure out what is and isn't a good deal.
Guessing there are a lot factors that play into the actual optimal chip to air ratio. Like tortilla chips are more durable than potato chips, so they could probably slide the ratio a bit to the chip side.
The bag pressure is likely also a factor, but more pressure would warrant a more durable bag.
Old Food Theorists video on the chip to air ratio in bags:
https://youtu.be/ycNSY3d1WLc?si=jzzu_qx-xIB3yOEM
I was a fan of Game Theory back in the day, but god DAMN has that channel (and its branches) gotten click-baity / gimmicky.
for the record, the air does serve a purpose in the packaging, keeping chips from getting crushed.
that said... there seems to be a lot more air in there than there used to be.
I've heard it's not air but some non-acidic inert gas for longer periods of preservation. These chips and snacks go bad in a day after contacting the air. It doesn't explain it's volume and a choice of soft package tho.
I believe it's nitrogen.
You are right.
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/national-international/chips-and-air-why-your-favorite-snacks-are-always-half-full/3178885/