Sainsbury’s Basics labels: endearing or wackaging?

A packet of basics carrots comes with the slogan, 'odd sizes, still a great cruch'

Sainsbury's describes their Basics range as 'hidden gems in fuss free packaging'. But a student in Cambridge has noted that groceries in the range have an 'inferiority complex' displayed on its apologetic labelling.

A packet of Basics carrots comes with the slogan, 'odd sizes, still a great cruch', while 'smaller grapes, still a great bunch'. Miranda Gabbot, writing for The Tab, said this showed the range has 'endearingly low self-esteem'.

But are such labels endearing? According to journalist Sophy Grimshaw: "British food packaging now has a matey, at worst babyish, tone that simply didn't used to be there... My basket of groceries now addresses me as though we are killing time on Facebook."

The trend even has a name: wackaging.

Sainsbury’s peanuts are ‘less whole, still nutty’, while cheese spread is ‘a little less cheesy, still nice and easy’. A packet of jaffa cakes is advertised as having ‘simple sponge, plenty of jaffa’. “Why pay more for a complicated sponge?” Gabbot wrote.

Meanwhile a Basics fruit cocktail trifle is 'less fruity, lashings of custard and jelly'.

Cute? Or do you agree with Grimshaw that "talking food is best left to toddlers"?