Some products do more than their job. They make you feel like they’re calling you out the second you grab them & it’s not always subtle either. Here are twelve awkward products that were built to shame buyers. Which one would you definitely not buy?
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Graphic cigarette pack warnings and plain packs
Buying cigarettes is a different experience. You’ll see cigarette packs plastered with giant photos of rotten teeth and diseased lungs. On top of that, the packs themselves are sometimes plain, with the same shape & same color, without any branding. That’s to make sure the buyers only focus on the gross health pictures.
Black octagon “high in…” food labels
In Chile & Mexico, snack packages aren’t allowed to have the nutrition facts quietly on the back. Any products high in sugar get a big black stop-sign-shaped label right on the front. It’s the same for any that are high in sodium or calories, and the octagons are quite easy to see. These essentially announce to everyone what you’re about to eat.
Traffic-light nutrition labels
Groceries in the UK are often in color-coded boxes that tell you just how good or bad they are. Green means good & amber is so-so. As for red? That means it’s awful for you, and anyone nearby can see exactly how unhealthy your shopping cart is, whether that’s because of high sugar or fat.
Anti-dandruff shampoos with “flaky scalp” on the label
Any time you walk down the haircare aisle, you’ll see that some bottles don’t even try to sugarcoat it. They don’t talk about shine or freshness. They have a label that says “FLAKY, ITCHY SCALP,” and anyone grabbing one of these is telling everyone nearby the reason they’re buying shampoo in the first place.
Hemorrhoid creams with giant “relief for hemorrhoids” text
You’ll find that some pharmacy creams print “HEMORRHOID RELIEF” across the tube. It’s almost like it’s the brand name, and it comes with no soft wording or effort to tone it down. Anyone unlucky enough to need it has no chance of hiding what’s in their basket.
Coffee cups with public waste messages
You wouldn’t think that a company would want to guilt-trip its customers, but that’s exactly what one café chain did with its disposables. Their paper cups have huge text reading things like, “This cup will end up in landfill.” No more quietly sipping a latte. Instead, people walk around advertising their part in the waste problem. Is that really so fair?
Fast food wrappers printed with obesity warnings
A few fast food spots in Latin America began wrapping burgers & fries in paper covered with health warnings about obesity or heart problems. These aren’t tucked inside. Nope, they’re right on the wrapper, which makes sitting down with friends to grab a bite much more awkward. Why should they know you’re eating yourself toward a doctor’s visit?
Diet shakes branded as weight control
Plenty of shakes market themselves as high-protein or nutrition drinks. But not all of them. A few brands go straight for blunt honesty with cans with “WEIGHT CONTROL” stamped across the front. That leaves nothing to the imagination. No energy boost or health fuel, just the fact that everyone at the checkout knows that you’re trying to lose weight.
Deodorant labeled “for excessive sweating”
You may see a stick of deodorant that doesn’t say “sport” or “fresh breeze” down the cheaper aisle of the grocery store. You just see packaging that says “FOR EXCESSIVE SWEATING” instead. Anyone unlucky enough to need one of these sticks can’t simply pretend it’s just a normal purchase because the can itself outs you before you even pay.
Foot sprays with “odor control”
Athlete’s foot sprays aren’t subtle, and some cans ditch subtle branding entirely. They go all in with giant “ODOR CONTROL” text that wraps around the bottle so it’s impossible to miss. It’s so embarrassing holding a bottle of this. Everyone else around you knows that, yep, you have smelly feet. Gross.
Hair dye with “covers gray” as the main tagline
There are plenty of dye brands that talk about vibrant shades or nourishing ingredients. Then there are the bargain boxes that lead with how they “cover gray,” without any tact. It doesn’t matter whether your grays are actually visible or not. Now, everyone knows you’ve got some that you’re trying to hide, which is hardly a fun message to broadcast.
Anti-gas pills with “relieves bloating & flatulence”
Surely gas relief products should be discreet. But not all brands understand that because they have boxes that say “RELIEVES BLOATING & FLATULENCE” in huge block letters, which you’re hardly able to hide from the cashier or the other people at the pharmacy. Buying a box lets everyone know exactly what’s going on with your stomach.
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