The Potato That Never Was

I am referring to one of the most popular snacks that has achieved super sales worldwide, exceeding over 1,000 million € in the year. The Pringles. A London High Court Judge had given reason to the multinational Procter & Gamble, by sentencing Pringles (the 'potato crisps' that come in the innovative cylindric tube, and have delighted people of all ages for most part of the last century) for containing only 42% substance related to potato, therefore, should not be considered as a potato product. This news, far from being a problem for the manufacturing company, has proffered them a solution instead. A profitable one. By not containing the specified 50% potato in the finished product, they can now avoid paying the 17,5% IVA (U.K. Tax) as before, for all potato products. The biggest loser is the British National Treasury. In fact the only loser. Because this brings down the cost of production, and they can in turn lower the retail prices to benefit the consumers, thus logically increasing sales. The Magistrate is quite likely a consumer himself of this crispy delight, the well loved snack, saying that real potato chips/crisps are crispier/crunchier, needing more chewing, while Pringle just melts in your mouth. The detailed listing of it's ingredients was also made known: potato flour, corn flour, that of rice, starch of wheat, grease and lots of salt. In fact hardly any potato at all. It comes in many varied flavours: barbecue, bacon, beef, cream cheese, paprika ... The only uncertainty the marketing department is concerned about now is what the customers' reaction might be, those who all along thought they were buying and eating potato but getting only flour with added chemical flavouring. The totally new concept of presenting this snack in a cylindric tube of cardboard strengthened by aluminum paper, constituted a great deal to it's success for more than half a century. In the 80's a young Brat Pitt had one of his earlier public appearances featured in one of their publicity campaign. The inventor of this unusual packaging was Fred Baur, a chemist of the company who, so proud and pleased with his ingenious invention and success, that upon imminent death, had asked that his ashes be put inside of this Pringle tube, to be buried in the cemetery in Springfield. 'Ashes to ashes, dust to dust' or 'dust to Pringle', for which he had dedicated his life. Tags:Pringle,Potato,BradPitt

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