21st Oct. 2024.Bengaluru: Leading Edible Oil & Food brand Fortune has unveiled a campaign, ‘#SirfDaamNahiGramBhiDekho’, to build customer awareness around a new practice amongst some other edible oil brands, that are packing less than 1 litre which is 910 gm oil in a pack and declaring only the weight of the oil but skipping mentioning the volume.
This practice began after the government allowed non-standard packaging of edible oil in 2022. While it may be legally above board, without consumer awareness some consumer may end up buying a smaller quantity of oil while assuming the pack to contain one litre of oil. For example, some soybean oil brands have started packs of around 850 gms that can look deceptively similar to a 910gm pack, 1-litre pack. Fortune clearly states both, the weight at 910 grams and the volume at 1-litre on its packs.
A recent study conducted by Kantar reveals that only 15% of users generally check oil weight when purchasing. Effectively, this means the buyer assumes all edible oil packs to have a volume of 1-litre ie. 910 gms since they look similar to 1-litre packs.
The study also found that 95% of respondents assumes that the grammage of oil packs typically falls between 900 to 1000 gm, regardless of whether they usually check the grammage.
Elaborating on the situation, Prashant Pandey, Group Product Manager, Fortune Edible Oils, said, “While cooking in our kitchens, we measure oil by volume, be it through the usage of spoons or ladles or the depth of oil in a kadhai while deep frying. It is misleading to mention only the grammage and not the volume of oil on a particular pack.”
Fortune is stepping forward to highlight the non-disclosure of volume by certain oil brands on packs that look similar to 1-litre packs. “You do not expect consumers to do a volume-weight calculation for edible oil when buying a product. We believe in full disclosure of both volume and weight of our edible oils and expect all brands to do so to help consumers make an informed decision. Not only weight, but there have also been concerns around the quality of edible oils. Our brand follows more than 100 stringent quality checks before a product reaches to the market.” Mr Pandey added.
Commenting on 360-degree promotion plans for the ongoing campaign, Mr. Jignesh Shah, Head – Media & Digital said, “Reaching and informing a wide base of consumers is increasingly challenging in today’s fragmented media landscape. To maximize our reach, we are utilizing TV, print, digital platforms, social media along with influencers. We also call on the media fraternity to support us in driving broader awareness and ensuring the success of this campaign.”
With the festive season in full swing, there will be a surge in the demand of edible oils and Fortune is urging consumers to check the fine print on edible oil packaging to make informed decision. From Navratri, Durga Pujo to Diwali, bhai-dooj and extending through the wedding season and Christmas there will be a lot of festive cooking across India. Not checking the fine-print could leave a bad-taste in the mouth for consumers, who will at some point realise they have been buying less oil for more money.
Fortune’s focus on transparency through clear labelling has not only earned the trust of consumers, but also played a key role in their recognition by Kantar. The company remains committed to delivering high-quality products that meet consumer expectations, reinforcing its standing as a leading brand in the edible oil industry.
