JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — When you buy meat or fish at the grocery store, the weight on the package is supposed to match what you actually get. But what if it doesn’t?
It could mean you’re paying more money… for less food.
Paying more, getting less?
Shoppers like Ariola Gjata say grocery bills are already high.
“Prices are crazy… not the same anymore,” she said.
But what if, on top of rising costs, you’re also being shorted and don’t even realize it?
That’s the question one social media creator set out to answer.
Viral videos raise concerns
Jimmy Wrigg started weighing grocery items at home after noticing his budget felt tighter. The Georgia dad is getting millions of views on social media after putting grocery store scales to the test, and using a simple scale and his phone, he began documenting what he found:
- A ham labeled nearly 5 pounds… weighing far less
- Shrimp coming up ounces short
- Produce not matching the listed weight
- Even sugar bags appearing underfilled
In video after video, he claims the numbers don’t add up.
“It’s real money for us… but it’s big money and profits for them,” he says.
We put it to the test
Action News Jax Ben Becker wanted to see it for himself.
Armed with a household food scale, Becker bought items from three different stores.
This wasn’t a scientific study, just a snapshot. But the results were still interesting:
- Chicken from Walmart
- Labeled: 2.36 pounds
- Actual: 2.15 pounds
- Slightly under
- Ribeye from Publix
- Labeled: 1.45 pounds
- Actual: 1.69 pounds
- More than expected
- Shrimp from Winn-Dixie
- Labeled: 0.6 pounds
- Actual: 0.8 pounds
- Also, more than expected
So, while one item came up short, others gave more than advertised.
Why it happens
Experts say there are a few possible explanations:
- Equipment calibration issues
- Human error when labeling
- Moisture loss in products over time
“It’s lack of vigilance,” says Emory University Goizueta Business School Associate Professor Saloni Ferasta Vasoni, an expert on pricing.
She says most shoppers won’t notice small differences anyway, especially if it’s under 15%.
“Across the board, somebody needs to catch something that is going on incorrect,” adds. Vasoni.
That makes consistency and oversight even more important.
Oversight and accountability
In Florida, grocery store scales must be approved and periodically checked by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
In Georgia, inspections are also required, but even with oversight, errors can still happen.
In fact, Walmart settled a $45 million class-action lawsuit in 2024 over weighted grocery pricing issues.
The bottom line
Sometimes you might get less than you paid for. Sometimes you might get more.
But the bigger issue is accuracy, and trust.
Wrigg says stores should be held accountable.
“They should be responsible for what they’re selling,” he said.
What you can do
- Double-check labels when shopping
- Pay attention to price per pound
- If something seems off, ask the store to re-weigh it
Because in the end, even small differences can add up, especially over time.
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