You’re zipping down the aisle, checking items off your grocery list. Next up: fabric softener. You reach for the container, but when you lift it, something doesn’t seem quite right. Upon taking a closer look, you realize it’s not filled to the top. What do you do?
A man in Boston, Massachusetts, has a solution that might also be part of the problem. In a viral TikTok, Louie (@beantownlouiee) demonstrates what he does when the Downy fabric softener seems underfilled.
“When you go to the store you always gotta make sure you get your money’s worth,” Louie says, as he pulls a second container from the shelf.
“This right here costs $24,” he continues, opening both containers. “You gotta always make sure you get your money’s worth, gang.
“‘Cause this [expletive] costs too,” he trails off.
Then Louie fills the first container to the brim, puts the top back on it, and replaces the second one on the shelf.
“Expensive to not get your money’s worth, gang,” he continues.
“Twenty-four dollars, I need that. I need every last drop,” Louie concludes. “Let’s go.”
In the five days since he posted it, Louie’s clip has racked up 3.2 million views and over 1,000 comments. People are, in turn, amused, inspired, and exasperated.
Why do Downy containers have so much empty space?
In the caption on Louie’s post, he alludes to a widespread frustration consumers have with underfilled products. “First it was the chips … & NOW THIS???” he writes.
Many people have complained that some bags of chips have more empty space than product.
While this may seem nefarious, there is a perfectly reasonable explanation. The extra air in the bag acts as a cushion to keep the chips from getting crushed during shipping. No one likes a bag of broken chips, after all.
Downy fabric softener isn’t a crushable product like chips, though.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a legitimate reason why there’s enough empty space that it takes Louie several seconds to top off the first Downy container. For example, the machinery that fills Downy fabric softener could be set to leave some space to avoid spillage. Or it could be simple human error at the Downy plant.
If Downy fabric softener intentionally or negligently contains less than the amount stated on the bottle, Procter & Gamble could get in serious trouble. It could be sued, fined, or lose consumer goodwill.
“Pretty sure it’s illegal […] to only sell half a product for the full price so he’s good,” one person commented on Louie’s post. Another replied, “They sell the product at the [fluid ounces] marketed on the product. The reason it’s half a product is because of the video above.”
Procter & Gamble didn’t respond to emails or a voicemail left Wednesday morning.
No harm, no foul in the grocery aisle?
Although some were amused, most people who commented on Louie’s video weren’t impressed.
Many blamed his behavior for stores now locking up products.
“Y’all be the reason some of us gotta wait 20 mins just for somebody to come unlock something that don’t needa be locked,” Bree commented.
Kamo.n agreed, “This is why they lock everything.”
Many pointed out that topping off Downy or any other product before you buy it is technically theft. “That’s gotta be illegal,” Pickle said. Prima responded, “Yes… stealing is illegal.. dude…”
It is possible that Louie’s post is a sketch or a joke. He could’ve purchased both jugs of Downy, for instance.
Louie didn’t respond to a direct message sent via TikTok.
Others wondered about the shopper who ends up with the Downy he filled from.
“But what about the next person who spends $24 on a quarter filled bottle?” wrote one.
@beantownlouiee First it was the chips… & NOW THIS??? #beantownlouie #fyp ♬ Nocturne (Chopin) calm piano solo – もつ
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Claire Goforth
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