Have you heard about “nitrogen snacks”? Korean
confectionery is called nitrogen snack by consumer. Why did this word occur? Confectionery
like cookies, biscuits, or snacks needs nitrogen gas packing process to prevent
damage from distribution or storage phase. Nitrogen can protect contents from
physical damage without chemical reaction, because it is noble gas.
A controversy of
excessive nitrogen packing flares up recently. Consumers criticized the
excessive packing severely, and they even boycotted Korean confectionery. Sales
volume of imported confectionery in major supermarkets rises sharply, and
confectionery shops that deal with imported goods only spring up everywhere.
Korean food companies encounter a severe crisis.
Lately, two university students cross the Han river by
boat which is made with snack. This event went into headline in news and SNS.
Consumers think that nitrogen gas packing is excessive packaging. But Food
companies assert that nitrogen gas packing is just one of the methods that
protect contents.
[Consumer side]
1.
Most of the snacks have poor content.
-Contents make up about lower than 50 percent of total volume in most of Korean confectionery.
-In severe case, make up 20 percent.
-Contents make up about lower than 50 percent of total volume in most of Korean confectionery.
-In severe case, make up 20 percent.
2. Excessive packaging is
excuse of price rise
-Food companies raise the prices easily.
-They didn’t lower the prices although the material cost was falling.
-Excessive packaging is deceit of price rise.
3. Korean confectionery is
more expensive than same export goods.
-Even there is a quality gap between Korean
and export goods.
[Company side]
1. Protection of the contents
-Nitrogen gas packing is to protect contents
from physical and chemical damage.
2. There are various
packaging case by case.
-Small part of fact is exaggerated.
-There are many confectionery packed few or
no.
3. Its products met all legal
requirements.
-Legal limit of empty space is 35 percent.
*Check this site to check legal information
[ I
think..]
Food companies have to solve this problem
actively. Most of products have too many packing more than necessary. The main
problem is that the price was raised in spite of same contents. I think
price-fixing is one of the main reasons of this situation. Korean food
companies confer on price increase each other, and pack the goods excessively
to deceive consumers by not telling the truth. Food companies should resolve
this problem as quickly as possible to regain public trust. It is immoral, and
is reprehensible and should stop.
I
recommend Korean consumers to express their anger by boycott. Food companies
will not change their behaviors, if there is no financial loss. Consumers should
react actively in order to protect their rights.
