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A woman in Singapore discovered that a packet of boneless chicken breast she purchased was overpriced by around 36 per cent.
The FairPrice Xtra label on the package stated a weight of 0.224 kg and a corresponding price of $2.42.
However, when she checked it with a weighing scale at home, it appeared to weigh just 0.165 kg, including the packaging.
The woman posted about it on TikTok, with the caption: "FairPrice doesn't seem that fair anymore :("
Screenshot via ninamonzolevska on TikTok
The alleged discrepancy works out to a 36 per cent markup for the item, which would have been priced at S$1.78 instead, based on a weight of 0.165 kg.
Not her first encounter
The woman, Nina Monzolevska, told Mothership that she purchased the item from Fairprice Xtra at Nex shopping mall in Serangoon on Feb. 5.
She said that this was not her first time encountering an item labelled with the wrong weight, and that she usually takes care to check the weight of chicken she buys in the supermarket to avoid such situations.
However, as she was rushing this time, she had grabbed the item closer to her without checking.
"When I got home and started taking out the things that I purchased, the meat felt unusually light for what it was stated on the label," she said.
She decided to weigh the item and found that it indeed weighed "a lot less" than what the label suggested.
On a previous occasion at the same outlet, she had noticed a possible discrepancy before making a purchase. She said that staff helped her to re-label the item.
FairPrice investigating
FairPrice posted on Facebook on Feb. 5, saying it was aware of the TikTok post.
"Ensuring product integrity, which includes accurate labelling is of paramount importance to us," said the supermarket chain, adding that it has reached out to the customer as part of its investigation into the matter.
"We ask also that customers who find any labelling discrepancy of products to approach our store staff immediately so that we may rectify the issue in a timely manner," said the post.
It added that it has a policy of offering a "full refund or exchange" for products that have been "inaccurately labelled."
The post also featured a cropped screenshot from the original TikTok video showing the product and its label.
Response to the incident
Some commenters questioned the intentions of the woman, saying that she did not need to post about the incident on TikTok, and that she should have just informed FairPrice of the matter.
Asked to elaborate on her intentions behind the post, she said:
"I simply don't like it when someone tries to cheat me. It’s unfair. I'm afraid to assume that I'm not the only one who purchased things there and paid more [than] I was supposed to. My intentions are only to prevent consumers from overpaying."
Others came to her defence as well, saying that the post highlighted a potential issue that others should be aware of as well.
One commenter offered a theory explaining why staff might have an incentive to label items inaccurately:
There were also half-joking comments from people saying they would start bringing along a weighing scale when purchasing groceries.
Top image via ninamonzolevska on TikTok
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