UPC hacking... by Wal-Mart?

[Deviant Ollam]

many of us have heard talks (either in official tracks or, more likely, unofficial breakout sessions) where folks discuss how it is possible to place a sticker over the UPC bar code on a retail product and make it ring up differently by the checkout scanner. often, this is done by folks who are (illegally, it should be noted) trying to not pay as much for their purchases. (often the technique i see discussed involves keeping a brand and good the same but changing the size... i.e. having a 16 oz. package of Philly Cream Cheese ring up as a 4 oz. package.)

there seems to be another use for UPC hacking that is being explored, however... it is being reported that Wal-Mart is selling products with fake/modded UPC stickers on top of the bar codes on recalled/unsafe pet food.

Initially, the product code checks out as safe, but if the sticker is peeled off, there is another product code underneath. The original UPC code underneath the sticker matches the ones on the pet food recall list.

Because the stickers are over the recalled product code, the items can be purchased by consumers. The news investigator left one of the stickers off of the packages. When the cashier scanned the label on the package, it said do not sell and the cashier would not let him purchase it.

this news piece leaves some gray area as to whether everyone's most hated big-box retailer is responsible for meddling with things or if the actual supplier of the tainted vittles (Menu Foods) was messing with the packaging.

UPDATE: after reading other sources and looking more deeply into this, it appears that Menu Foods is taking the blame for a "packaging mix-up" wherein they have changed supply lines (again we see products from China being very sub-standard and causing health issues) and were (apparently) using their existing packaging (with the recalled UPC code) and adding a sticker to show the update.

geez, though... you'd think that someone would have said "this is a bad idea and could get some people in a twist here" and they would have fallen on their sword and just ate the costs of a new run of packaging production. could they really have huge WAREHOUSES of empty pacakges that they didn't want to waste? If that's the case, how does the food product come from China (or wherever) in the first place? In huge tanker containers, from which it's sort of poured out like a meaty sauce?

[wfs29223]

Re: UPC hacking... by Wal-Mart?

Stop shopping @ Walmart.

[Thorn]

Re: UPC hacking... by Wal-Mart?

Stop shopping @ Walmart.

Posts with limited or no real value to add to the conversation are actively discouraged.

In his post, Deviant already called Walmart "everyone's most hated big-box retailer", and I doubt you'll find many on these forums who have a burning desire to shop there. Saying "Stop shopping @ Walmart" doesn't really address his questions about why the packaging and UPC were relabeled.

For the record, I stopped shopping there at least five years ago. Not so much because of their employment policies, but because the store here is dirty, the staff moronic, the majority of the clientèle looked like trailer-trash rejects and gangsta wannabes, and the prices are mediocre. All things I could do without.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As to the question, Dev, I suspect that the relabeling is directly related to cost control. They probably do have hundreds of thousands of pre-printed labels, and that simply printing a new UPC and sticking it over the old is the least costly process for the company. When I was just out of high school (lo those many years ago), I worked for a manufacturing plant. They had several years supplies of labels and boxes in a warehouse. Menu Foods is probably no different in that regard.

[Clp727]

Re: UPC hacking... by Wal-Mart?

I almost would suspect that they could've easily placed a new UPC label on the old product to try and slip it through again. Surely they wouldn't do such a thing...but then again it's about money to them.

I feel like any company that is having their product manufactured in China to save on labor cost has betrayed the American people that they intend on selling the product to in the first place.

[theprez98]

Re: UPC hacking... by Wal-Mart?

and I doubt you'll find many on these forums who have a burning desire to shop there.

It's no surprise that I am in the minority again! ;-)

I (we) shop at Wal-Mart at least once a week and sometimes more often. When all is said and done, our grocery bill is cheaper there than anywhere else. While we might pick up individual items at different places, we do the bulk of our shopping there.

I'm well aware of the numerous controversies surrounding Wal-Mart. Frankly, they're #1, so just like Microsoft, they're the target of everyone, whether its fair or not. The big box retailers (Home Depot and Lowe's) garner the same sort of criticism (although much less pronounced) in the home improvement industry.

I could care less about who shops there, but there is a reason that K-mart and Target are empty and Wal-Mart is always full, and it doesn't have anything to do with the employment practices, salaries, wages or working conditions. Of course, that brings up the issue of unions (I'm not even going there).

As for the issues of countries of origin, global trade and multi-national corporations have basically made those arguments superfluous. NASCAR made a stink when Toyota entered the series, because they weren't "American" like Ford, Chevy, and Dodge. Of course, they shut up when Toyota explained how 95% of the Camry is made in America, and 95% of the Ford Fusion is made in Mexico.

[Thorn]

Re: UPC hacking... by Wal-Mart?

It's no surprise that I am in the minority again! ;-)

I (we) shop at Wal-Mart at least once a week and sometimes more often. When all is said and done, our grocery bill is cheaper there than anywhere else. While we might pick up individual items at different places, we do the bulk of our shopping there.

I'm well aware of the numerous controversies surrounding Wal-Mart. Frankly, they're #1, so just like Microsoft, they're the target of everyone, whether its fair or not. The big box retailers (Home Depot and Lowe's) garner the same sort of criticism (although much less pronounced) in the home improvement industry.

I could care less about who shops there, but there is a reason that K-mart and Target are empty and Wal-Mart is always full, and it doesn't have anything to do with the employment practices, salaries, wages or working conditions. Of course, that brings up the issue of unions (I'm not even going there).

As for the issues of countries of origin, global trade and multi-national corporations have basically made those arguments superfluous. NASCAR made a stink when Toyota entered the series, because they weren't "American" like Ford, Chevy, and Dodge. Of course, they shut up when Toyota explained how 95% of the Camry is made in America, and 95% of the Ford Fusion is made in Mexico.

We'd shop in Wal-Mart if the place was cleaner, the prices better, general clientèle didn't look they were gang wannabes and the staff actually had a clue. I have no qualms about the way they make there money. They are a business, and I expect them to make a profit. But as it is, the store holds no attractions for us. Maybe I'd change my mind if I saw a store someplace else, but here at least, it is all negative connotations.

We regularly shop at Target when out of state (no Target stores exist in this state), and love it. Their prices are consistently much lower than those seen around here in other stores.

[Voltage Spike]

Re: UPC hacking... by Wal-Mart?

I (we) shop at Wal-Mart at least once a week and sometimes more often. When all is said and done, our grocery bill is cheaper there than anywhere else. While we might pick up individual items at different places, we do the bulk of our shopping there.

I shop there on occasion, and I have no particular qualms. The main reason I shop at Wal-Mart, though, compared to other stores is simple: they are open at 3 in the morning. I don't do use them for the bulk of my shopping, but when I want a snack of radishes or a new shirt for work the next day there aren't many options once the concerts and after-parties finish up. The only thing I don't like about late night shopping is that there are only two registers open (and they shut down the automatic units) so it often takes 10 or more minutes to check out due to the significant number of people. (Most people have cartloads of stuff, and I've even seen people buy plasma televisions and home theatre systems at that time of night.)

Oh, and, unlike most other retailers, Wal-Mart seems to have the midnight release for items down. The return policy also seems overly generous.

I'm well aware of the numerous controversies surrounding Wal-Mart. Frankly, they're #1, so just like Microsoft, they're the target of everyone, whether its fair or not. The big box retailers (Home Depot and Lowe's) garner the same sort of criticism (although much less pronounced) in the home improvement industry.

I've heard the rumors, but, to put in my two cents, everyone I personally know that works/worked there was extremely happy. My favorite story is the how far out of their way they went when one of their truck drivers got sick (hotel, personal visit from a local manager, travel back home). I'm not sure my company would do that for me.

I could care less about who shops there, but there is a reason that K-mart and Target are empty and Wal-Mart is always full

I live in a nice area and the people that frequent Wal-Mart aren't those of Thorn's location. However, Target is far more popular and, personally, I prefer to shop there (versus Wal-Mart, at least) since my experience is always better (atmosphere, service, cute checkout girls).

In the end, I suppose it's better than buying from Amazon or some other online retailer since at least some of your dollars will remain in the local economy, right?

[MiL]

Re: UPC hacking... by Wal-Mart?

The only thing im worried about personally isnt wal-mart, Im worried about food safety in general in supermarket stores, ive heard old gibberish about eggs and milk being sold when they are expired and all the nonsense but I was shopping at Albertsons and i was gettin some ground beef for some good ole chilli makin and i was there in line waiting for meh meat this girl came up with a bottle of windex and started spraying that shit all up inside the display case with no real concern for the meats all around in there, iunno if it was windex or not but it was blueshit in a spray bottle and i didn't have the heart to say anything and i just walked away, iunno i dont think i would of cared if i didnt see it happen but fuck man, thats pretty disgusting

[theprez98]

Re: UPC hacking... by Wal-Mart?

The only thing im worried about personally isnt wal-mart, Im worried about food safety in general in supermarket stores, ive heard old gibberish about eggs and milk being sold when they are expired and all the nonsense but I was shopping at Albertsons and i was gettin some ground beef for some good ole chilli makin and i was there in line waiting for meh meat this girl came up with a bottle of windex and started spraying that shit all up inside the display case with no real concern for the meats all around in there, iunno if it was windex or not but it was blueshit in a spray bottle and i didn't have the heart to say anything and i just walked away, iunno i dont think i would of cared if i didnt see it happen but fuck man, thats pretty disgusting

File Under: Run-on Sentence!

[big chopper]

Re: UPC hacking... by Wal-Mart?

Using a device to alter the price of an item in a store is a felony where I live.
--BC,

[MiL]

Re: UPC hacking... by Wal-Mart?

File Under: Run-on Sentence!

Sorry if my grammar and spelling errors burned your eyes. Coherence and I do not function well together.