Lucky Star has come under fire after consumers have been posting the contents of their near-empty tinned pilchard cans.
The canned fish company is a staple in many South African homes, and was a favourite of the late former minister, Tito Mboweni.
LUCKY STAR PILCHARDS UNDER FIRE OVER CONTENTS
On the X app, user Pranesh Luckan shared pics of his decanted Lucky Star Pilchards can.
The pictures show three small pieces of canned fish and a substantial quantity of tomato sauce.
“Guys, I know this is our national tinned fish brand, but what kind of shrinkflation is this? 3 and 1/2 pieces of fish weighing 136g in a 400g can. Is @LuckyStarSA selling pilchards or tomato sauce?” he asked in a tweet that has gone viral.
Another X user – @@_spreadhappines – received just one pilchard in their can.
On its official account, the brand responded to the posts, stating: “We are sorry to hear this – and can assure you that this is not the proper standard that Lucky Star strives to uphold”.
According to Luckan, Lucky Star would also be investigating the production batch of the can.
LESS IS LESS?
In the past few years, rising food prices have drastically increased the cost of tinned pilchards like the Lucky Star brand.
However, earlier this year, the Competition Commission’s latest Essential Food Pricing Monitoring (EFPM) report revealed that pilchards were one of a few essential items whose price had slightly decreased.
A 400 gram can of pilchards is priced between R25 and R30 at major retailers.
HAVE YOU HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WITH LUCKY STAR PILCHARDS?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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