With high food prices, consumers are taking their expenses seriously. Recently, a Target shopper accused the retail store of “shady” sales practices after he realized a price discrepancy on the sale tag of a bag of fries.
TikToker @bmxrcodol04 racked up an impressive 1.7 million views when he posted the comparison between the original price and the sale price of frozen fries.
In the video, @bmxrcodol04 focuses on the price of a bag of Ore-Ida Extra Crispy Fast Food French Fries.
“Target’s doing some shady sh*t,” he says.
He taps the New Lower Price sticker. “New lower price. They’re now $5.49 from $5.79, but the deal is two for $8.”
“Or, if you don’t do the two for $8, they’re $5.79 each,” the Target shopper explains.
He concludes with a simple question: “Why not $5.49?”
Some viewers were amazed by the price of the frozen fries to begin with.
“I just had these fries for the first time the other day and they’re amazing but I didn’t know they were this expensive,” a viewer wrote.
“What’s worse is a grocery store near me has their off brand fries at this price now,” another added.
Others were glad shoppers are beginning to shop smarter in the first place.
“Yes!!! People are starting to read labels!” one wrote.
“I almost grabbed one bag yesterday but when I noticed the ‘deal’ I just decided to go get them elsewhere,” a second shared.
@bmxrcodol04 It’s not just for black Friday either… #targetsale #target #fakeblackfriday #blackfriday #fyp #foryourpage ♬ original sound – bmxrcodol04
Many agreed with @bmxrcodol04 and claimed that the price disparity was evidence of corporate greed.
“Keep exposing them. they’ve all been doing this to us for a long time. You all are only noticing now cuz you don’t have any money so need to be picky,” a viewer replied.
“Meanwhile owners on the top list of billionaires. Why try to screw poor people when you got tons of money,” a commenter remarked.
Food prices don’t seem to be going down. Staples like dairy rose 14%, and cereals and bakery products increased by 15.6% in February of this year, according to Consumer Price Index data.
Fortunately, there are ways to stretch your dollar further, so the sting doesn’t hurt as much. These include buying generic products, choosing cheaper cuts of meat, and making a meal plan.
Tried and true methods like clipping coupons are another way to save. Consumers can also take advantage of rebate apps like Ibotta and Rauten to accrue credit points and loyalty benefits.
The Daily Dot reached out to Target via email and @bmxrcodol04 via TikTok comment for further information.
