Part of a multipack, not for individual resale?

Ghandee

In my local Spar today, I bought a can of coke zero, king crisps, and an ice cream marsbar.
Only when I returned home, I noticed that the three items listed (I bought other items too) but the three mentioned above ALL had the part of multipack warnings on them?
Is this legal what their doing???? Surely not?

Are we supposed to report them, or challenge the student doing the till?

ScouseMouse

Quite legal.

But one last thought, whats the point of challenging the "student on the till"?

Do you think its their doing?

Ghandee

How can this be legal?
If I can buy a 6pack of tins of coke for 3euro and a single can for a euro, surely the shop pay one price for cans on their own, and a better price for buying a 6pack?
And on a closing note, why do Kings, Mars and Coke bother putting multipack warnings on their product? I mean if the retailers doing nithing wrong by splitting the multipacks, why the warnings?

Hogzy

Cant speak for the coke or the mars bar but usually crisps that are part of a multipack are really small packets?

Used to work in a shop and the amount of Multipacks of crisps that were opened at the top was unreal, it happens really easily so we used to sell the individual smaller bags (usually as part of a meal deal). Same happened with cans of soft drink that came in 6 or 12 packs. If one leaks then you cant sell them so we broke them up and sold them off cheap

dave98

gucky, you have a lot to worry you. A lot of smaller shops SPAR/ Londis etc are struggling to stay a float with the likes of Lidl/Aldi/Tesco etc buying/selling at discounted prices. As #Hogzy said, what do you expect the shop to do if one can out of a 6 pack is dagaged? Throw them away/give them to the staff? That might have happened 2 years ago. Now shops have common business sence and sell it off.

And as for reporting them, asking if you "have to do it", sounds like you want to do it. Its your decision but I'd think little of people that would report shops for this.

Ghandee

Look, it's a simple question?
Nowhere in the post have i said I WOULD report them, I merely asked is this SUPPOSED to happen?
I am curious as to whether or not Coke/cadburys or WHOEVER endorse the practice of shopkeepers splitting multipacks and selling them individually as single products?

Why I'm asking if it's legal or not is because the products clearly display instructions that the can was part of a multipack and is NOT to be sd seperately!!!!!!!

Jeez, sorry for asking now.

Ghandee

[QUOTE=

And as for reporting them, asking if you "have to do it", sounds like you want to do it. Its your decision but I'd think little of people that would report shops for this.[/QUOTE]

where in post do I ask this exactly btw?

randomer

Red bull says on the can that it gives you wings. I drank five cans and didn't get any wings.

Am I supposed to report them?

Hogzy

OP its probably not illegal to sell them on and tbh i seriously doubt Cadburys or Coca Cola would take any action against shop keepers for splitting multipacks. If they were stopped from doing so they would probably order less or order none at all.

Its just good business practice to let it slide, at the end of the day nobody is really losing out.

It would be different however if a shop ONLY bought multipacks and alsways split them to sell seperatly, Companies would probably definetly get a little fusy about this

Ghandee

Hogzy wrote: »

OP its probably not illegal to sell them on and tbh i seriously doubt Cadburys or Coca Cola would take any action against shop keepers for splitting multipacks. If they were stopped from doing so they would probably order less or order none at all.

Its just good business practice to let it slide, at the end of the day nobody is really losing out.

It would be different however if a shop ONLY bought multipacks and alsways split them to sell seperatly, Companies would probably definetly get a little fusy about this

Thanks Hogzy, that's all I was after, a sensible answer to an honest question.
As you yourself pointed out, crisps from a multipack are always to a smaller weight/bag. Therfore I'm paying full whack fir a bag if crisps that isn't giving me the proper portion that should be in a bag that I have bought.
I'm sure if people started to get 18fags in their boxes of Benson instead of 20 there would be an uproar about it.
Hence why I placed this post in the rip off section!

the groutch

if sell out of a multipack means you're getting a smaller prooduct for same price, then I'd make an issue of it

otherwsie I'd let it be because I might be this practice which is helping stop alot of small shops from going out of business and putting even more people on the dole

ScouseMouse

randomer wrote: »

Red bull says on the can that it gives you wings. I drank five cans and didn't get any wings.

Am I supposed to report them?

Bloody hell, I should be an astronaut by now

Sorry mods, couldnt resist it.

ScouseMouse

the groutch wrote: »

if sell out of a multipack means you're getting a smaller prooduct for same price, then I'd make an issue of it

otherwsie I'd let it be because I might be this practice which is helping stop alot of small shops from going out of business and putting even more people on the dole

The multipacks of king are a small bag. Coke is the same size and mars could be either.

ScouseMouse

Gucky wrote: »

And on a closing note, why do Kings, Mars and Coke bother putting multipack warnings on their product? I mean if the retailers doing nithing wrong by splitting the multipacks,

Because the manufacturer doesnt like it. But literally, they have no say.

astrofool

They could sell the individual crisps for €100 a piece if they wanted to.

The warning is between the retailer and the supplier, the cost price they get them in it is very similar between a multipack and single items (if you divide the cost price of the multi pack), again, as long as the weight of the packs is displayed clearly, they can sell them at whatever price they want. The retailer forego the higher margin of single items by selling a higher price good when they sell multi packs.

But seriously, what would you demand? The mark up on small goods is huge in a convenience store, you know this (or should) when you buy the item.

gerrycollins

Gucky wrote: »

How can this be legal?
If I can buy a 6pack of tins of coke for 3euro and a single can for a euro, surely the shop pay one price for cans on their own, and a better price for buying a 6pack?
And on a closing note, why do Kings, Mars and Coke bother putting multipack warnings on their product? I mean if the retailers doing nithing wrong by splitting the multipacks, why the warnings?

would anyone have an issue if the prices were adjusted accordingly?

The multipack warning in many cases is put in place of the barcode. They're not supposed to sell them separately but I don't know if there's anything illegal about it as such. I've seen some shops print out their own barcodes and stick them on split multipack items.

quinnthebin

the groutch wrote: »

if sell out of a multipack means you're getting a smaller prooduct for same price, then I'd make an issue of it

otherwsie I'd let it be because I might be this practice which is helping stop alot of small shops from going out of business and putting even more people on the dole

If it's not illegal then I guess the only problem would be between the retailer and wholesaler . However, If it was illegal then it's hardly justifiable by saying the practice is keeping a lot of small shops from going out of business. (perhaps that's not what your suggesting though)

I always thought it was illegal but I've learnt something new

Shelflife

Are we also to report the customer who breaks the multi packs --because i only want one?

take them out and lynch them i say, a damn good thrashing is what they want. :rolleyes:

Shelflife

or you could but a little tear or mark on the product and bring it back for a refund .

thatsa spicy

As somebody who drinks a lot of coke, I can assure you that the multi-pack cans are definately of lower quality than the individual cans that should be on display. They don't taste as strong as the coke from indiviual cans/ bottles. Similarly, you should never buy a 2 litre botte that has the yellow labbelling telling you its part of a multi-pack; it is more diluted than usual.

katkin

Who says its not illegal? I would say it is and they should be reported to the relevant authorities, don't we have a Consumer Authority or something in this country. I've no sympathy for Spar or Centra, they ripped us off big time for years. This is a shop trying to sell off unsold Christmas multipacks individually, which if were damaged by being opened should be sold off cheaper.

Rulmeq

There is only one rule when it comes to this. The retailer agrees to sell, the customer agrees to buy. If you don't want to buy it, you don't. The labels have as much legal authority as I do.

The only items that can't be sold individually are cigarettes (in Ireland).

If you really want to screw with the shopkeepers minds, then ask them where their price list is.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/consumer-affairs/consumer-protection/pricing/price_display_of_goods_and_services

That's a legal requirement that you can get your local shop done for if you are really petty.

Ghandee

Shelflife wrote: »

or you could but a little tear or mark on the product and bring it back for a refund .

If I wanted to listen to bull cr@p I'd take up farming.

Rulmeq

katkin wrote: »

Who says its not illegal? I would say it is and they should be reported to the relevant authorities, don't we have a Consumer Authority or something in this country. I've no sympathy for Spar or Centra, they ripped us off big time for years. This is a shop trying to sell off unsold Christmas multipacks individually, which if were damaged by being opened should be sold off cheaper.

I have to take you up on the rip-off part, against my better judgment, because I always get dogs abuse when I say this, but because we are in a capitalistic market there is no such thing as a rip-off. If you feel that you are being charged too much, you are free to shop elsewhere, if you also feel that there aren't enough alternatives then you are also free to set up in direct competition with them. The only people being ripped off are those who are willing to be.

Of course there is a rip-off going on in Ireland, but it's happening in the non-capitalist portions of the market, the only sectors where prices aren't falling are in the sectors provided by government or government related monopolies. In an era of deflation it is abhorrent that prices are increasing in these sectors.

Meh, I'm going to regret hitting submit on this

ScouseMouse

Rulmeq wrote: »

I have to take you up on the rip-off part, against my better judgment, because I always get dogs abuse when I say this, but because we are in a capitalistic market there is no such thing as a rip-off. If you feel that you are being charged too much, you are free to shop elsewhere, if you also feel that there aren't enough alternatives then you are also free to set up in direct competition with them. The only people being ripped off are those who are willing to be.

Of course there is a rip-off going on in Ireland, but it's happening in the non-capitalist portions of the market, the only sectors where prices aren't falling are in the sectors provided by government or government related monopolies. In an era of deflation it is abhorrent that prices are increasing in these sectors.

Meh, I'm going to regret hitting submit on this

You may get dogs abuse, but you are saying it as it is. It seems to be trendy to knock the little shops and cry out about how the ripoffs are soooo terrible, but at least half of them are not ripoffs at all.

Just this week, McVities biscuits tried to impose a price INCREASE, my wholesale group refused to accept it.

This morning I was notified that 02 and meteor are putting up the price of phone topups to the shops. Anyone that does not have a surcharge is a fool. Its pretty much not worth our while without it.

Someone will accuse me of robbing them, of ripping them off, but if they dont like it - TOUGH, complain to 02 and Meteor.

randomer

superscouse wrote: »

You may get dogs abuse, but you are saying it as it is. It seems to be trendy to knock the little shops and cry out about how the ripoffs are soooo terrible, but at least half of them are not ripoffs at all.

Just this week, McVities biscuits tried to impose a price INCREASE, my wholesale group refused to accept it.

This morning I was notified that 02 and meteor are putting up the price of phone topups to the shops. Anyone that does not have a surcharge is a fool. Its pretty much not worth our while without it.

Someone will accuse me of robbing them, of ripping them off, but if they dont like it - TOUGH, complain to 02 and Meteor.

As a matter of interest, how much do a store make when they sell a 10 or 20 euro mobile phone topup, without the surcharge?

Rulmeq

randomer wrote: »

As a matter of interest, how much do a store make when they sell a 10 or 20 euro mobile phone topup, without the surcharge?

The last time I checked it was about 3.5% (there is a middle man in this transaction who apparently set the price, or so Vodafone and O2 will tell you). I should point out that anything below 18% in a small shop is loss making (assuming they have staff, if they are just the owners then the break even point drops to about 10%)

Shops who don't charge a surcharge have basically given up on the idea of making money from them, and just hope the customers will buy other stuff. The problem with this is that most transactions for phone credit don't involve other goods. I'm convinced that the phone companies have taken all the cash that teenagers used to spend on junk (which probably isn't a bad thing when you think about it)

Padraig Mor

Hogzy wrote: »

Its just good business practice to let it slide, at the end of the day nobody is really losing out.

Well, the customer is losing out. The multipacks are supplied to the retailer at a lower cost per unit so that the customer can make a saving when buying a multipack. Retailers splitting the packs are keeping this saving from the customer and using it instead to increase their profit margin.

Hogzy

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Well, the customer is losing out. The multipacks are supplied to the retailer at a lower cost per unit so that the customer can make a saving when buying a multipack. Retailers splitting the packs are keeping this saving from the customer and using it instead to increase their profit margin.

So what do you expect them to do with multipacks that have broken in transit or storage, send them back to coca cola? Its easier for Coca cola and the retailer to just sell it to the consumer, it reduces loss significantly.And at the end of the day you are getting the same product simply without a barcode.

Iv no way to prove this but im sure there is not much of a difference in buying say a slab of coke 24 cans single and buying a 24 slab of 2 x 12 cans...
The retailer is the one who lowers the price for purchases in bulk (ie the multipack), Why would the wholesaler sell 24 cans of the same product (whether multipack or not) at different prices. It doesnt make sense. There is always a discount when buying in bulk and thats what a multipack does it reduces your cost because you are buying more than one product.

neilthefunkeone

Yeah dont know who you can even report it to.. But the shop is making more profit selling them seperatly then in a multipack.. best thing is give your business to somewhere else.. Independent instead of a large greedy company like spar!!