Did you know that how big a spice tin is can make a big difference? Some famous spice companies, like McCormick & Co., are getting sued because of how big their tins of ground pepper are.
A small company called Watkins Inc. says that McCormick reduced the amount of pepper in their tins by 25% but kept the tin size the same. So, even though the tins look the same, you’re getting less pepper.

But why does this matter? It’s about fairness and honesty. Watkins says McCormick is tricking people by making them think they’re getting more pepper in each tin than they really are. McCormick’s tins are hard to see through, so you can’t tell how much pepper is inside. In contrast, Watkins sells smaller tins with the same amount of pepper as McCormick’s.
Watkins says McCormick is trying to trick people to make their product seem better than others. They argue that McCormick is using tricky packaging instead of making their product better. Even though McCormick’s tins say they contain 6 ounces of pepper, the writing is small and hard to read right away.

This trick, called “slack-filling,” is seen as dishonest and breaks rules to protect consumers. McCormick isn’t giving customers as much pepper as they think by not filling their tins all the way. This doesn’t just affect how much you get for your money, but it also makes it hard to compare products accurately.
So, when you’re at the store buying spices, look closely at the package. Don’t be fooled by the size of the tin—what’s in it is what counts!