Consumer magazine criticizes pasta pricing

The French consumer magazine 60 Millions de consommateurs has raised concerns about the pricing of specific pasta products in supermarkets, arguing that the cost does not reflect a meaningful difference in quality or value.

Premium labels questioned

The magazine investigated "premium" pasta items like Carrefour's fresh tagliatelles and Barilla's egg tagliatelles, which are sold at higher prices compared to their dried versions. It claims these products do not offer significant improvements in taste, texture, or nutritional content.

Nutritional comparison shows little difference

Experts compared fresh and dried pasta, as well as egg pasta and natural pasta, and found that their nutritional profiles were largely similar. Marketing claims about freshness or the inclusion of eggs did not result in better health benefits or performance in cooking.

Price differences highlight concerns

At Carrefour, fresh tagliatelles cost 2.58 €/kg, while the fresh version is priced at 4.14 €/kg, a 60.5% increase. Similarly, Barilla’s egg tagliatelles are priced at 5.44 €/kg, compared to 3.58 €/kg for the dried version, a 52.0% difference.

Criticism limited to specific products

The magazine’s criticism is focused on these specific tagliatelle formats and does not extend to the full range of pasta products offered by Barilla or Carrefour.