Tesco lies

Alan_Cross

Generally I have a soft spot for Tesco and reckon that it does a fair job of providing me with decent choice at a decent price.

I do however have a number of irritations and here's the latest.

Wanting to cut down on fat intake, I examined the two cottage cheese options available in my local store. The links to them are below and I wonder if you can guess which is the real, low fat option.

http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=264562500

http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=263278815

Yep, you guessed it, despite costing twice as much and claiming (on the lid) to have '70% less fat', the so-called 'light choices' version has three times as much fat and double the saturates of the bog standard, 'everyday value' option.

On the kind of closer inspection which an electron microscope allows, the fine print says 'compared with standard cottage cheese'.

Yeah, right, Mr Tesco. You mean the kind which most of your stores don't sell, correct?

To me this all smacks of double dealing and unworthy, sharp practice. Very, very poor indeed.

krlyr

I wouldn't really class the Everyday Value one as your standard, comparable product though, the reason it's probably so much lower in fat is that it would be diluted down so much - it probably only has a third as much cheese product in it as the Light Choices! Compared to their regular cottage cheese then yes, the Light Choices one is lower in fat - http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=274436278

Supermarkets aren't in the game to be honest, they're in it to make money, and if you're only just realising it, then they've done a pretty good job of it already.

Alan_Cross

krlyr wrote: »

I wouldn't really class the Everyday Value one as your standard, comparable product though, the reason it's probably so much lower in fat is that it would be diluted down so much - it probably only has a third as much cheese product in it as the Light Choices! Compared to their regular cottage cheese then yes, the Light Choices one is lower in fat - http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=274436278

Supermarkets aren't in the game to be honest, they're in it to make money, and if you're only just realising it, then they've done a pretty good job of it already.

As mentioned, the 'everyday value' one was the only alternative on offer. Oh and by the way... er, 'dilution'..?... water has not been added to either product...

krlyr

They're not going to tailor their packaging to what's available in your one particular local store though, it's going to be compared to what's available across the whole range, and even across competitor's ranges (including non-supermarket brands).

I can't find the complete ingredient list online and don't happen to have either of them in my fridge to check, but I didn't say water had been added to either product anyway. But it's pretty likely that the value range is going to have been made from cheaper ingredients and be of lesser quality.

Possession

I've tried them all and actually like the Value one best. I avoid 'fat free' or 'light' anyway, since it means 'added sugar or artificial sweetener' and often not much less fat anyway.

sonastin

Value ice cream is always the lowest fat option - emphasis is on the ice rather than the cream to keep the price down. By that logic, I would have expected the value option would most probably be the "light" choice

honeythewitch

krlyr wrote: »

They're not going to tailor their packaging to what's available in your one particular local store though, it's going to be compared to what's available across the whole range, and even across competitor's ranges (including non-supermarket brands).

I can't find the complete ingredient list online and don't happen to have either of them in my fridge to check, but I didn't say water had been added to either product anyway. But it's pretty likely that the value range is going to have been made from cheaper ingredients and be of lesser quality.

I thought cottage cheese was just skimmed or full fat milk and a bit of salt and it can be made with or without rennet?
Can milk vary much in quality?

krlyr

It seems some cottage cheeses have cream added for a softer texture, and presumably nicer taste. Makes sense to me that a value product would have less, if any, added to it - which happens to make it lower in fat (as a bonus to some) but probably will a less pleasant (depending on your preference) taste.
Maybe 'diluted' wasn't the right term, but a cheaper product is, more than likely, cheaper for a reason. Not that the everyday value product has anything to do with OP's complaint really, I'd imagine most people would assume the "70% less" would be in regards to your usual cottage cheese products.

honeythewitch

krlyr wrote: »

It seems some cottage cheeses have cream added for a softer texture, and presumably nicer taste. Makes sense to me that a value product would have less, if any, added to it - which happens to make it lower in fat (as a bonus to some) but probably will a less pleasant (depending on your preference) taste.
Maybe 'diluted' wasn't the right term, but a cheaper product is, more than likely, cheaper for a reason. Not that the everyday value product has anything to do with OP's complaint really, I'd imagine most people would assume the "70% less" would be in regards to your usual cottage cheese products.

Cream added? Good grief, I am horrified.
I have never come across this sort though, apart from mascarpone of course, which is the same sort of thing but made from cream.

Seakay

the value cottage cheese is very watery, but then so is the so called light stuff.
Longley Farm cottage cheese is much drier so although much more expensive (I tried it when it was whoopsied in my local Spar) it lasts for longer because it goes further in itself plus it doesn't go off so quickly because it isn't watery
http://www.longleyfarm.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=36

They do a virtually fat free version but I haven't tried it.

zippychick

as this is more shopping related rather than Old Style, ive moved this to our shopping forum

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