1/8/2005

Food Fright, Part 4

Uncle AndrewUncle Andrew
Filed under: @ 11:20 am

Food Fright Part 4

This is not strictly a food-based fright, but short of starting up a category called, oh, say, “Packaging Peculiarities”, I had nowhere else to put it.

This is a package of pub scones, a sort of shortbready, cookie-ish treat we were introduced to at a friend’s New Year’s Eve party in December. They were quite tasty, but I was captivated by the strip of clear adhesive plastic tape that was used to seal the container, shown here in the extreme foreground. It’s a little obscured by the lip of the container, but it reads, “Tamper Seal”.

“Tamper Seal”. Not “Tamper-Evident Seal”, not “Tamper-Proof Seal”. This appears to be another instance where a good idea meets poor planning….or at least poor English.

Think of other examples of this sort of nomenclature. “Presidential Seal ” indicates the seal of the President. “Good Housekeeping Seal” indicates the seal of, um, Good Housekeeping, whatever that is.

Following this line of logic, “Tamper Seal” would indicate the seal of tampering. In other words, that little strip of tape tells the consumer that this product has been subjected to bona fide tampering.

I suppose it’s nice of the producer or reseller to offer up this particular information, but I find it hard to believe it moves a lot of product off the shelves.


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