Splitting Multipacks In A Shop

[ZebbyUK]

My employer has been splitting packs of 5 Creme Eggs and selling them individually and he's also been splitting the dated packs of onions and emptying them in with the loose onions.

Are BOTH or EITHER of these worthy to be reported to trading standards? This is only what I know about.

[fiction-factory]

I can't see why you would have an issue with it. Do you have a grievance against your employer?

[EDDIE51]

Not illegal, just not what the maker / wholesaler wants the shop to do.
It's normally cheaper for a shop to buy packs of creme eggs rather than buying the same number individually , so the shop makes more profit by splitting them. Trading standards would not be interested.

[fiction-factory]

I cannot see any laws being broken here. I think it's a matter between the supplier/manufacturer and the individual shop - they may be in breach of contract

[Jackdaw33]

There's a lot worse than that goes on, believe me.

[Captain2]

So long as the packaged Creme Eggs are the same size/weight of an individual one then I don't see a problem.

[EDDIE51]

^^ The worst that could happen is that the wholesaler refused to supply the shop, but the shop would just find another supplier.
I used to do the same with packs of crisps and ice creams when I ran a sports club bar. I could sell a pack of crisps from a multi pack for 25p and still make a profit!

[Captain2]

Packs of 2, 3, 4 or more onions are priced at a set price - loose onions are priced per Kg. Packed have a 'Best Before' date but will last well past that date, so splitting them 2 or 3 days before their BB date will reduce wastage (which is what we all want).

[Buenchico]

The restriction on splitting multi-packs is purely one which the manufacturer tries to enforce, with no legal basis whatsoever. The only penalty for doing so could be a refusal to supply further multi-packs to the trader but, given that there's usually a middleman (i.e. a wholesaler) in between the manufacturer and the retailer, that's wholly impractical.

The only time that splitting multi-packs might be of interest to trading standards is if there's a statutory obligation to display the ingredients of a product and that information is only provided on the outer packaging. (i.e, the trader would then be selling the single items without the necessary information about ingredients). Even then all that the trader would have to do is to attach stickers to the individual items, declaring their ingredients.

The dates on things like onions will be 'best before' dates, rather than 'use by' ones. It's entirely legal to sell products after their 'best before' date. (Indeed, there are some shops and market stalls which sell nothing but over-date products). It's only 'use by' dates which must not be exceeded.

You employer is acting entirely within the law and is to be comended for his enterprise.

[Kathyan]

Isn't it printed on the item 'part of a multipack, not to be sold individually' or something similar?

[Maydup]

The only legal issue is when the ingredients and sell by date are printed on the outer wrapper only. Such as yoghurts. Otherwise its just cheeky that's all.

[Peter Pedant]

the only thing you cant split are cigarettes

( yeah OK - skunk and cocaine but lets be serious )

have you thought about getting another job ? Traffic warden or something