Should Cereal Boxes Contain Empty Space?

Cereal manufacturers often leave some empty space inside their cereal boxes. Of course there are no scientific reasons for doing so, but this controversial practice has been in existence for several decades. Consumers allege that this empty space gives the false impression that the box contains a higher quantity of cereal. Of course, the weight of the product is printed on the cereal box but those consumers who do not bother to read the labels may be fooled by these over-sized boxes.

The federal government has already looked into this matter and has come to the conclusion that some empty space is required to protect cereals from breaking. However, most cereal boxes contain much more empty space than what is required – probably because they want to create a false sense of abundance.

However, many cereal manufacturers who do not believe in these gimmicks have swapped their controversial cardboard boxes with stand up bags.

Standup pouches are less expensive. A cardboard cereal box may cost about 50 cents. For the same price, companies can buy 3 standup pouches of the same capacity.

Stand up pouches provide just as much protection as cardboard boxes. They are also environment-friendly and recyclable. They are known for their user friendly features. These bags are available in nearly all sizes and shapes. As a result, manufacturers can buy them in just the correct size required to package their cereal.

Consumers also like cereal packaged in standup pouches because they provide a more accurate idea of quantity. This helps build trust and ultimately boosts sales.