Pringles are NOT Potato Chips
July 6, 2008 by Susan Gunelius
Filed under Marketing
According to a London judge, Pringles are not potato chips. The debate is over.
Procter & Gamble’s (NYSE: PG) Pringles brand earned the right to be the un-potato chip because they don’t include enough potatoes to legally qualify as potato chips, or any kind of potato snack because they’re made from just 42% potatoes – not enough to be called a potato anything. The judge also agreed that since Pringles aren’t shaped unlike a traditional potato chip, that’s all the more reason they should not be included in the potato chip family.
I wonder how that makes Lays Stax manufacturer Frito-Lay (owned by PepsiCo, NYSE: PEP) feel? Those are shaped like Pringles but made with Potato Flakes rather than baked dough like Pringles.
Are you confused yet? For the sake of the Pringles brand, hopefully, consumers won’t be confused, or won’t care. I love Pringles, but it never occured to me that they’re not potato chips. How about you? Has your perception of the Pringles brand changed since it’s been legally decided that they’re not really potato chips?
Hat tip to Kelly at Taxgirl for this story.
Image: Flickr and FritoLay.com
I’m slightly confused. What family do they now belong to? Where would they be located in a grocery store then? The cracker aisle? or some tucked away spot near the chips next to the popcorn? Have they created their own family? I wonder if this was a right move for Pringles to become a “non-chip” since most of their past campaigns focused on how their chips were better than those traditional, greasy types.
It has never occurred to me too that Pringles are not potato chips! I have never taken a look and investigate the amount of potato content in Pringles. Although Pringles are not potato chips, it still makes a great snack for any occasion regardless of a picnic or a movie. I will continue to give my support to Pringles.
Never did i expected that pringles are not potato chips at all. Of course, i feel a bit cheated but somehow after so many years of consumption, i guess it doesnt matter after all. But i feel the company pringles owe all of us a good explanation to mislead us into thinking is potato chips. Nevertheless, i will continue to support Pringles!
Who can resist great snack ? :)
certainly not! i’ll still relate Pringles to potato chips like before!
Pringles are one of my favourite tv snacks.
:D
It only contains 42% of potatoes. So, what is the 56% of the ingredients? Cassava?