Below is the offending material and below that is the letter I sent to Walkers Crisps. You will need to refer back to the picture in order for my letter to make sense, not that I make any sense anyway.
16th June
Hello Walkers,
Yesterday whilst I was eating a packet of your "Ready Salted Crisps" I noticed that the packaging had been changed.
However, amongst the new and improved packet design I still felt that certain sections of it should be reviewed for their consumer suitability and information validity.
The first part I would like to draw your attention towards is that of the second picture on the back of the packet that reads "We add Walkers unique flavourings..."
The second point, is to me the most intriguing of all. I am very eager to know the secret behind the "three way protective packaging".
After trying to solve the mystery myself from analysing the picture for clues I become baffled. I do not know what to make of the three arrows and how they relate to freshness.
The final issue I would like to raise regards the "Guideline Daily Amounts". I think that the information makes no sense to be positioned below the typical nutritional values.
I hope that after voicing my opinions you find this information useful. I'd like to thank you in advance for taking the time to read this letter.
Yours faithfully,
ENAY
And there you have it. And a month later, Walkers replied back to me.
I was glad to see that you had removed the previous information regarding the four golden rules to Walkers crisps. Especially the final rule "Irresistible Potato Crisps", which quite clearly is a fact or statement and not a rule.
After studying the three ingredients of potatoes, vegetable oil and salt, I found it difficult to unravel any other unique ingredients that you say have been added that are unique only to Walkers.
Are there some E numbers or other hidden ingredients that you're not telling the consumer about in your crisps?
As the picture suggests, perhaps the unique ingredient is in fact the Walkers crisps logo in which case, it would indeed be a unique flavouring.
Or perhaps this is just a universal label for all crisp flavours and the Ready Salted packet has been unintentionally neglected?
It looks especially suspect since the picture frame shows the exact same Walkers logo as the one shown at the top of the packet. As it stands it is completely meaningless and does not serve any purpose to explain anything. For example on the previous statement the picture shows a tractor, which directly relates to harvesting potatoes.
My only logical guess is that it is something to do with the "three way protective packaging".
Try as I might, I have been unsuccessful in trying to comprehend the Walkers method based on the description and accompanying diagram.
Looking at the picture, I can only guess.
Perhaps I must rotate the packet clockwise to ensure maximum freshness?
Sadly I am incapable of deciphering the puzzle.
Please enlighten me so that I am able to fully appreciate the crisp freshness next time I open and enjoy a packet.
I highly doubt that nutrition professionals would recommend that a woman should eat roughly 9 multi-pack packets and a man 12 per day to conform to the recommended daily fat quota.
Certain individuals such as children could easily misinterpret this information and think that eating 9 or 12 packet of crisps a day is acceptable when obviously it is not.
This could easily happen since that source of information is positioned directly afterwards.
I feel that guidelines such as these are more suited towards foods such as cereals, which contain multiple vitamins and ingredients. To avoid any possible confusion I recommend the popular "Serving suggestion" to be displayed on the packet as 1 to 2 packs a day instead of the "Guideline Daily Amounts".
Crisp Connoisseur
(C)
PRODUCTIONS