Don’t lie about the size of a new product

If you update a new product line, the label you apply should also change. Since industrial labeling systems can make the mass distribution of new items easier, there’s no reason that you can’t be honest if your product changes size, rather than hiding that fact with promotional language.

ABC News cited one specific example of this: the use of the word “new” to refer to a product that has actually decreased in size. The source cited changes in a few different brands as examples, from Keebler Crackers to Minute Maid juice. Usually, splashes of color and words like NEW! accompany the shrink, to serve as distractions.

The same article also noted that size changes can happen without any signifier. Minute Maid in particular addressed the drop of content in its containers by nearly a full ounce.

“Earlier this year we introduced the 6 oz. package size for our juice boxes,” it said in a statement to ABC. “The adjusted size allowed the business to successfully maintain retail prices amidst rising input costs while still providing preferred sizing for the category.”

Declaring the decrease more openly might not be a bad idea, though, since some consumers actually seem to prefer it. In a column for the Macomb Daily Lifestyle, Jill Cataldo presented multiple letters from people who appreciate the smaller sizes: reasons include the health benefits of smaller portions and the ease of access.

Not all consumer goods can embrace smaller sizes as a selling point, but candy labels or those of high-calorie foods might find some success. This seems to have already happened with some snack brands, and if you’re making this kind of transition, professional printers can help make these messages clear.