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To Be, Or Not To Be - A Potato Chip, That Is

By John Mesirow

Actually in the United Kingdom, what Americans call potato chips, they call "crisps." The burning question before a UK High Court judge was: Are Pringles "crisps" or not? Why is this important? Because if they are crisps, they get taxed at 17.5%! If not, they are exempt from the tax, as is most other food. So what was the decision?

Judge Justice Warren said Pringles' "unnatural shape", distinctive tube packaging, and non-potato ingredients meant that the snack could not be classified as a crisp.

The ruling yesterday pointed out that Pringles ? who are most famous for their irritatingly catch adverts "once you pop, you can't stop" ? contain corn flour, wheat starch, maltodextrin, emulsifier, rice flour and dextrose, and just 42 per cent potato content.

I am shocked, shocked I say ... that anyone would argue Pringles are potato chips. You can read more in The Telegraph article here.

Full post as published by Legal Juice on August 06, 2009 (boomark / email).