How Your Grocery Store Deli Might Be Ripping You Off In Plain Sight

We've all been there: You're stocking up on staples at your favorite grocery store deli and you feel like a victim of shrinkflation. If you find that your pound of honey ham or smoked Gouda hasn't filled quite as many sandwiches as normal, you're not alone. While it's possible you've been a bit heavy-handed with the ingredients, it's also possible your grocery store deli is ripping you off right under your nose.

As with any prepackaged grocery item sold by weight, shoppers generally trust that a supermarket will accurately weigh and price deli items. However, there's evidence that this isn't always the case. Many shoppers claim to have independently weighed grocery store deli items, only to discover that they clock in at substantially less than the labeled weight.

@james_wrigg

[Part 2/3]Taking Underweight Cheese To Kroger Deli Clerks. Kroger has not made a statement or answered any questions after five videos showing extreme weight discrepancies with their deli cheese. So I try to figure out the policies, procedures and systems. #krogerfraud #krogerscam #scalefraud #shortweighting

♬ original sound – Jimmy Wrigg

Kroger, the major grocery store with the worst deli, is one of the biggest culprits according to internet sleuths. TikToker Jimmy Wrigg has published a series of videos alleging that Kroger's precut cheeses are frequently underweight. The grocer's $5 grab-and-go meats and cheeses are supposed to weigh 12 ounces, but Wrigg claims to have found packages nearly 5 ounces less than that, which is hardly small potatoes.

It's important to note that if you find an underweight grocery store deli item, it probably doesn't mean that deli employees are intentionally ripping you off. Some slight variation in weights is normal and expected because it would be almost impossible to perfectly portion every package down to the gram. On the other hand, it could be a supplier problem that's beyond employee's control. In the case of Kroger, the grab-and-go precut cheeses arrive at the store already cut and portioned, meaning the deli employees simply package them and add a standard price label without weighing them again. It's worth noting that the The Cincinnati Enquirer (where Kroger is headquartered) conducted an investigation in response to Jimmy Wrigg's claims and found that the deli meats and cheeses were underweight at just one of nine Krogers in the Cincinnati area.

With all of this in mind, if your favorite delectable deli product seems seriously skimpy, you can always weigh it yourself to double-check. If it's more than an ounce or two underweight it might be worth alerting the grocery store's deli manager, especially if it's a repeated problem in the same store — you may be able to get a refund and it could help prevent the problem in the future. No matter how you slice it, make sure to ask this critical question before ordering at a grocery store deli.