# Why do they print "stories" on food packaging? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 25, 2024, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064 "2024-02-25T16:24:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/1 "2024-02-25T16:24:22Z")
As I was waiting for my lunch to heat up in the microwave _(leftover barley soup)_, I noticed the writing on the bag of Snyder’s pretzel nibblers. “They’re poppable! They’re crunchy!” And then it proceeded to give a couple of paragraphs about the noble legacy of Snyder’s pretzels. So then I looked at the bag of Lucerne shredded cheese, and it had a paragraph talking about their healthy happy cows. I assume considerable market testing has been done, and packages with this text sell better than identical packages with just an image or a design. I wondered if any of you had experience with such considerations. Who in the heck would choose Snyder’s pretzel bites over Utz, because of the story on the bag? _(I am the pretzel eater in our household, and prefer Utz. But my household’s food procurement officer periodically brings home Snyder’s, saying either that the store did not have Utz, or the Snyder’s were on huge sale.)_ Who the heck even reads these stories other than some easily bored reading addict like myself? Why is it worth whatever it costs to pay someone to come up with this sort of copywriting? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/2 "2024-02-25T16:31:25Z")
What it costs to come up with the copyediting is negligible, and what it costs per package is zero, given that they have to print the labels anyway. Why not do it? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/3 "2024-02-25T16:32:25Z")
(Ad guy here) It differentiates the brand from its competition, by using storytelling to tell consumers more that “just the facts.” It helps consumers feel that it’s not just a faceless conglomerate making their pretzels or cheese or whatever, but that the brand does have a story behind it, and a personality. It does, in fact, lead at least _some_ consumers to feel more loyal to that brand. In most cases, brand loyalty is _not_ absolute, as you note: people may prefer a particular brand, because of the flavor, the price, pure inertia (i.e., “it’s what I’ve always bought”), and, yes, sometimes, because that they feel a bit of an emotional connection to the brand. But, that does not always overcome things like the favorite brand not being available, the competitor’s brand being on sale, etc. For what it’s worth, most of those “stories” on packaging likely don’t get read at the store shelf; they get read by the consumer when they take the product home. That said, an awful lot of people (including many people here on the SDMB) strongly feel that they are extremely rational, thinking humans, and believe that their buying decisions are not swayed, in the slightest, by advertising. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/4 "2024-02-25T16:35:20Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > For what it’s worth, most of those “stories” on packaging likely don’t get read at the store shelf; they get read by the consumer when they take the product home. That was my thought: It’s not as though you’re going to read competing stories on packaging at the stores. Rather, you go home, see the story on your cheese while making a sandwich and feel good about your purchase on an emotional level because of happy cows or noble family legacies and tradition. Then you’re more inclined (they hope) to continue buying that brand. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/5 "2024-02-25T16:48:13Z")
Here’s my printed packaging gripe: why don’t they put a bar code on all sides of the package? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/6 "2024-02-25T16:50:25Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > why don’t they put a bar code on all sides of the package? Likely because (a) they are not required to, and (b) they feel that doing so takes away package “real estate” which they can use for marketing. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/7 "2024-02-25T16:56:14Z")
Some stores (Famously, Aldi) that have a lot of their own branded products have done something like that - printing very long barcodes that span the entire length of the packaging - notionally, this speeds up the checkout process (the barcode is more likely to be instantly recognised by the scanner), which probably has some profit margin benefit for the store (more products through the checkout per unit time means fewer staff required per unit customer basket) > **[Why Does Aldi Put So Many Large Barcodes on Its Items?](https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/aldi-barcodes/)** > > It'd be nice if every grocery store was like this. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/8 "2024-02-25T17:00:25Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Some stores (Famously, Aldi) that have a lot of their own branded products have done something like that I’d heard of that example, and it makes sense. Most of Aldi’s food offerings are their own private-label brands, and they have control over the packaging design. Plus, consumers are essentially making their “brand choice” by choosing to shop at Aldi in the first place (which offers limited variety, and few or no name brands), rather than choosing between five different brands of cheese at the store shelf at some other store, so there’s less need for marketing messaging on Aldi’s packages. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/9 "2024-02-25T17:02:18Z")
Well, they could always put a brag on there about how much more convenient it is now. Show 50s clipart of a smiling housewife 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/10 "2024-02-25T17:29:01Z")
“When my ancestor, George, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg, founded the House of Hanover in 1635 by establishing the first great Pretzelwerks of Old Europe, he could not have known what a great tradition he had birthed.” > **[Snyder's Of Hanover Has Always Been In Pretzels For The Long Haul](https://www.theonion.com/snyders-of-hanover-has-always-been-in-pretzels-for-the-1819584472)** > > In this world of ever-changing loyalties, it seems at times as though nothing consistent and permanent remains. Nothing in which one can place one's allegiance, confident that the sacred trust that exists between buyer and seller will not fall victim... ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/11 "2024-02-25T17:36:01Z")
Never underestimate how many people read the labels of whatever they are eating or drinking! For awhile Chipotle had short stories written by customers printed on their cups. They were pretty neat. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/12 "2024-02-25T17:42:21Z")
I’m sure I’m not the only former child who read the backs of cereal boxes over breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/13 "2024-02-25T18:07:03Z")
Yeah. And even as an adult, i often read the label if I’m bored. I’m sure i do feel more attraction to a brand with a nice story, if only because it makes that brand a little more familiar and memorable. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/14 "2024-02-25T18:09:50Z")
As Cecil pointed out in his column about Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap, people might pay good money for the ramblings on the side of the bottle. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/15 "2024-02-25T18:25:27Z")
I long ago realized that I am not immune to ALL marketing, but I do think I’m largely immune to this sort of package story. And - yes - I was an inveterate cereal box reader as a kid. Nowadays, I enjoy reading these “stories” just to muse about who came up with that specific verbiage - as opposed to everything else they coulda written. And why they decide those exact words were going to nudge their sales up x%. Now I’m gonna try to think of a product that for which I AM swayed by that sorta story… ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/16 "2024-02-25T18:33:27Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Who in the heck would choose Snyder’s pretzel bites over Utz, because of the story on the bag? _(I am the pretzel eater in our household, and prefer Utz. But my household’s food procurement officer periodically brings home Snyder’s, saying either that the store did not have Utz, or the Snyder’s were on huge sale.)_ Who the heck even reads these stories other than some easily bored reading addict like myself? Why is it worth whatever it costs to pay someone to come up with this sort of copywriting? It’s all part of brand identification. The hope is that in the future, when you make another pretzel purchase, the warm and fuzzies you got from reading the Utz story will stick with you and you will stick with that brand. You see this kind of emotional association made with other non-pretzel brands. More than 15 years ago, I remember an ad for a minivan where a family got into the vehicle and suddenly domestic bliss struck! The kids weren’t bickering amongst themselves and mom & dad were happy. Whatever company it was for, they were trying to get us to associate their product with familial happiness. ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/17 "2024-02-25T18:43:17Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Here’s my printed packaging gripe: why don’t they put a bar code on all sides of the package? My WAG: there would be a nonzero risk of the barcodes on two adjacent being sides being scanned, and a count of two being billed. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/18 "2024-02-25T18:45:58Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > That said, an awful lot of people (including many people here on the SDMB) strongly feel that they are extremely rational, thinking humans, and believe that their buying decisions are not swayed, in the slightest, by advertising. I’ve learned not to argue with those people. My favorite are the ones who vehemently deny being swayed by advertising and insisting with their next breath that seeing an advertisment makes them avoid that company. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/19 "2024-02-25T18:47:45Z")
There’s an old joke that the packages that are read most carefully are beer bottles and breakfast cereal boxes. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2024, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064/20 "2024-02-25T19:14:47Z")
> [@Mops](#): > > My WAG: there would be a nonzero risk of the barcodes on two adjacent being sides being scanned, and a count of two being billed Not zero, but infinitesimal. The scanner is calibrated to not scan a second barcode for something like 0.05 seconds. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-print-stories-on-food-packaging/998064.md?page=2)