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Morning Annoyance

I was grocery shopping at HEB in Sugar Land this morning when this sign caught my eye. I believe that this is deceptive as this is American-made sparkling wine and was definitely not made in Champagne, France.
I find this annoying because it just isn't truthful. It makes me wonder if I should believe that this particular lettuce is organic or that the beef that says grass-fed on it is really grass-fed. Can I count on HEB's honesty with other products when they are clearly misleading their customers with this price sign?
The reality is that HEB is probably not trying to be dishonest. A stocker with no wine knowledge probably set this up (I hope it wasn't their actual wine guy). Why would that person just add the false information "Champagne" to the price label? In the stocker's defense, probably because "Methode Champenoise" is the main thing that you see on the display boxes from the producer. They could say sparkling wine, they could say made in the traditional method, they could say "methode traditionnelle" if they just feel like they need to print French words on what is an American-made with Spanish ties product but they chose adding "Champenoise" to their packaging. Is it a nod to the level of wine knowledge sophistication they believe their consumers to have or is it an attempt to be deceptive on Gloria Ferrer's part? I will let you decide.
To HEB, you do need to change your sign because tricky packaging doesn't make you exempt from the truth on your signs and that particular product that you are selling is NOT Champagne.
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Comments

  1. New Hampshire WinemanFebruary 17, 2012 at 3:53 PM

    Sandra, there is propaganda everywhere; sometimes we care about it and sometimes we don't, but In vino veritas. What we see, what we taste, what we smell, and what we handle can get us past the axiom that 'all men are liars' so as to get to the truth, and judging from your review record, I believe you :-)

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  2. Sandra CrittendenFebruary 17, 2012 at 4:31 PM

    Thanks Dennis :)I just find it annoying when sparkling wine makers try to cash in on Champagne's reputation, I think they should be proud of their own product and let us know what makes it special. When the largest print that is visible on the exterior packaging (which is part of the display) is the French "Champenoise", then it looks like someone is trying to cash in on another's reputation rather than showcasing what they are.
    Of greater concern to me is my grocery store's inability to correctly transfer info from bulk packaging to store labels. It does make me wonder if an employee cuts up a large round of cheese, do they make sure they put in the correct info to make name and price labels or do they just put whatever they think it is...

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  3. Jade FloydFebruary 28, 2012 at 3:28 PM

    You should check out the Center for Wine Origins. http://www.wineorigins.com/ They were founded in 2005 by the wine growing regions of Champagne, France, and Porto, Portugal. These are both regulated by the European system of appellations, designed to ensure authenticity and quality for consumers. The Center represents the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), the trade association that represents all the grape growers and houses of Champagne; and the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto (IVDP), the trade association that represents all the grape growers and houses in Porto and the Douro Valley. The Center works to educate chefs, sommeliers, retailers, consumers, policymakers and the media about the importance of keeping wine labels accurate.

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