Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1919-09-12

Misleading pictures ana OtHer ue-
vices appearing on the labels of foods
is form of misbranding against
which housewives will do well to be
on their guard, say the officials of
the Bureau of Chemistry, United
States Department of Agriculture,
in charge of the enforcement of the
Federal food and drugs act. Many
prosecutions and seizures are made
in the enforcement Of the law to pre-
vent this form of misbranding.
Inconspicuous statements in fine
print are placed on the illustrated
label in many instances to correct os-
tensibly the misleading features OF
the picture or other device. How
ever, as the picture or device attracts
the attention at once, while the in
conspicuous corrective statement cah
be seen only by most careful scru-
tiny of the label, the purchaser is GER
tain to be misled unless attention is
directed to the exact wording of the
entire label.
The picture of an olive tree and a
map of Italy on the label Of bottle
of oil leads the average housewife to
expect an Italian olive oil, but care
full reading of the fine print on the
label will enable her sometimes to
discover that the bottle contains cot
tonseed oil made in America. Cot
tonseed oil is wholesome product;
is well able to stand on its own mer-
it's, and is cheaper than olive oil.
Oranges Pretty, but Deceptive.
The picture of luscious orange on
the label of bottle of imitation
orangeade n3t only adds to the at
Effectiveness of the label but helps
to hypnotic the purchaser into the
belief that he is getting the real ar
ticle, Notwithstanding the fact that
there is tucked away somewhere in
mass of fine print i little statement
to the effect that this most excellent
beverage is but an imitation.
Many consumers asking and paying
| for Arabian coffee accept a package
having on the label the picture OF an
Arab mounted on fiery steed and
imagine they are getting the aroma
of the delightful beverage of the Far
East, although there is on the label
an inconspicuous statement that the
coffee in that particular package was
produced in South America.
The picture of maple leaf on
can of strip carries the fancy to the
delicious flavor and sweetness of the
product from Vermont, inducing pur-
chasers to pay more than they would
pay if they noted the statement in
very small type on the bottom of the
| label that the product is corn sirup
favored with cane.
When Quantity Is Camouflaged.
The use of panel bottles which APP
pear to have capacity Of four
ounces of fiavoring extract, but which
on account of the thickness and con-
tour of the sides cannot be made to
hold more than two ounces. is an old
practice to deceive the housewife in
regard to the quantity. Even when
the quantity of contents is marked on
the bottle. then it is often by an in
conspicuous statement, which can be
seen only by close observation.
! A more recent device for making
| little bit of pepper or spice look ike
| whole lot is a six-ounce package
with a shaker top which, because it
cannot be removed without destroy
ing the package, prevents the pur-
chaser from observing that there are
only two ounces or less in the pack
age.
Deceptive devices appearing on the
labels of foods or drugs subject to
the jurisdiction OF the federal food
and drugs act are in violation of that
law. The question as to whether any
given device is deceptive, and wheth-
err the deception is removed by cor
receive statements appearing else
where on the label, is one to be de-
termined by the facts in each case.
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