More expensive does not automatically mean better

There are many potato chips available – from name brand products to discount brands. With 51 cents and 1.99 euros per 100 grams, the price difference of 290 percent catches the eye. But more expensive does not automatically mean better, according to a test carried out by the Chamber of Labor (AK) Upper Austria. Consumer advocates analyzed twelve products from different manufacturers – potato chips.

Hardly any difference in ingredients

First things first: the components don’t justify the price difference. All French fries consist of potato chips baked or fried in oil. All are high in fat and calories, 27 to 35 grams of fat or 503 to 552 kcal per 100 grams, there was no significant difference. The salt content was medium to high based on the British Food Standard Agency’s traffic light system. Most producers use sunflower or canola oil, two – one commercial and one manufacturer’s brand – palm oil. AK recommends avoiding palm oil because, compared to other vegetable oils, it can contain higher amounts of fatty pollutants and cause major ecological and social problems in producing countries.

The origin of the potatoes was asked

The origin of the potatoes was also questioned, after all four products were potatoes from Austria, with the EU introducing them with goods if necessary. Most producers use potatoes from Germany, the Netherlands or Europe. A branded product rather cryptically states that the origin of the raw material is “from the EU area”.

The taste doesn’t justify the price difference either

The taste remains to justify the large price differences. AK entered a lay tasting at the base of this. 20 people rated the types of chips – of course, without knowing which product it was. There was no clear winner, but it proved that tastes are indeed very different, with the most expensive and least salty products being very palatable to some, while others rejected them completely.