Slimmer’s choice turns out a little heavy

Woolworths diet feta cheese was not so slimming.

I’m indebted to yet another sharp-eyed reader for this story.

She wants to be identified only as Jenny, and she made a startling discovery when she looked at the nutritional table of a pack of Woolworths Slimmer’s Choice Danish-style feta recently, a product she’s bought for some time.

Whereas a serving’s kilojoule count of 90 is very prominently displayed on the top and sides of the pack, the count in the small print table is 121kJ – which is significantly more in a product marketed at weight watchers.

Jenny wrote to Woolworths, asking for an explanation, and received this in reply: “The department advised that we have picked up the mistake on the label and will correct with next print run. The information on the nutritional table is correct with 121kJ. This must have been missed when the nutritional values on the product were redone.”

Jenny wasn’t altogether satisfied with that response.

“It would appear they are unconcerned about misleading consumers all over the country until such time as the next packaging print run,” she told Consumer Alert.

I agreed with her. It’s not a minor mistake, given that the incorrect kilojoule count is given prominence on the pack, and is clearly a major selling point.

So I raised the issue with Woolworths’ head office, suggesting that a sticker be produced to correct the misleading kilojoule count until the next print run.

In response, I was told that in a recent review of the nutritional values of this product, among others, it emerged that the kilojoule count for each serving was not, in fact, 90kJ but 121kJ – thanks to the varying fat content of the milk used in the cheese.

But in the reprinting of the label, the dominant kilojoule declaration was somehow missed.

“We intend to put a sticker over the incorrect kilojoules value in the next week,” Woolworths said.

“We are also investigating how we made the mistake to ensure our processes are more efficient in future.

“We sincerely regret the error and apologise to customers for letting them down.”