These Trickster Packaging Designs Were Filled With Broken Promises

10. This Pricey Spice Gets a Pricey Presentation

The example of the beautifully wrapped saffron shows the extreme end of misleading packaging in the luxury food industry. Already among the most costly spices in the world, saffron barely requires further marketing strategies to support its premium price range. At around $5,000 per pound. However, this packaging employs complex display techniques that eventually house a small quantity of the actual product, therefore taking needless luxury to new heights. The analogy to gorgeous people devoid of content is especially relevant as both situations highlight outward appearance above inner worth. Apart from adding needless expenses, the elaborate packaging shapes unrealistically high expectations regarding the saffron content. Given saffron's already high pricing, this practice is particularly troublesome since it basically adds fake value through packaging instead of product quality. The manufacturer's decision to spend more on ornate packaging than on the natural value proposition shows a misreading of their market: customers buying such a premium spice are probably more concerned in quality and authenticity than in elegant packaging.