Innocent faces consumer backlash after carton resize
Innocent has received a backlash from its customers after reducing the size of one of its smoothie products, meaning the product costs more per mililitre.
The drinks maker recently introduced two different sized smoothie cartons – a 750ml carton with a recommended selling price (RSP) of £2.79 and a larger “value” pack of 1.25 litres, with a RSP – to replace its old 1 litre smoothie cartons.
Innocent says the 750ml cartons are cheaper per pack than the previous size but cost more on a per mililitre basis, while the 1.25 litre cartons are cheaper on a per mililitre basis than the older 1 litre packs.
Dozens of consumers took to the Innocent blog to air their dissatisfaction with the new cartons, with many suggesting the move was a price hike in disguise.
One user, named Victor, says: “Sneaky and disappointing. This isn’t what people want. This decision has made me feel more than any other that Innocent is changing for the worse. May sound overly dramatic, but it looks like the start of a slippery hill.”
Innocent responded to the comments by saying that it has not increased prices since its launch in 1999, despite events that have happened since, which subsequently means that fruit prices have gone up.
Richard Reed, Innocent co-founder, says: “The small price increase (on our 750ml carton/per mililitre basis) means we’re able to continue to making our smoothies using only the highest quality fruit that meets the standards for ethical and sustainable production that everyone expects from Innocent.
“The last thing we ever want to do is upset our consumers, however the vast majority of our consumers prefer having the choice between a smaller, cheaper pack and a larger, better value one.”
