Last night, we were driving on Bayview Avenue in Aurora when a new radio commercial about the WONDER® bread makeover started to play. According to the commercial, WONDER® bread received a complete makeover – a simplified ingredients list, no artificial preservatives, and no chemical additives like artificial flavours or colours.

Aha, are they kidding me?

I don’t need to write here about the health benefits of removing all those ingredients from the list.

It was public opinion that prompted the company to make the makeover. According to their press release via PR Newswire:

“… consumers are paying more attention to food labels and are seeking products that are free of artificial ingredients. The research revealed that nearly eight in ten (79%) of all women feel buying foods that are free of artificial preservatives, artificial colours and artificial flavours is important — and 77% of all women say buying foods free of these artificial ingredients is more important now than it was one year ago.”

I don’t think it was research that initiated the makeover—probably their sales were down, and they had to conduct a survey to figure out what was going on.

Okay, okay, I’ll get to the point.

Do you really think that WONDER® cares about consumers?

My opinion—no.

Fewer ingredients mean reduced costs and increased profits.

No preservatives is an interesting move. Now they’re telling us to eat faster because the bread won’t last as long. Consumers will have to buy it more frequently due to its reduced shelf life.

Oh, and because of the “health benefits,” they have grounds for a price increase—I just hope not.

See what the power of public opinion can do? It brings a better product to the market and boosts profitability for the company.

What are they trying to do, knock some sense into me? No, I won’t allow it. I’m sticking with my whole grain bread.

COMMENTS

Marvin said: November 23, 2011 at 13:26

“We should feed Wonder bread to the Canadian geese which poop everywhere. That will kill them.”