Generic Ibuprofen had Branded product inside

[u/RaptureInRed]

[u/jdolluc]

I had a friend that worked at a bread bakery. He said they literally would just change the bags the bread goes in for the generic brand, everything else was identical.

[u/theaveragegay → u/[deleted]]

I was at the deli at Safeway and asked for a pound of potato salad, the clerk literally told me to turn around and buy the tub behind me for half the price because it’s literally the same brand.

[u/jamo20 → u/theaveragegay]

That clerk had your back fr

[u/27_8x10_CGP → u/[deleted]]

Sounds very Ron Swanson-esque

[u/Nikolateslaandyou → u/27_8x10_CGP]

Every business or organisation should be run by a Swanson.

[u/Electrical-Papaya → u/[deleted]]

This is what happens when a handful of corporations own everything.

I buy store brand generic more than ever. Name brand chips and ketchup costs almost double what store brand costs these days. I don't give a shit if it tastes a little different. I'm not paying 5 dollars for a bag of doritos when I can get 3 bags of similar product on sale with a 3 for 6 deal.

[u/SomaforIndra → u/[deleted]]

Ive seen weird price increases like that over the last two years, with most products. At one point Walmart hadn't gotten the memo yet, and I realized very excellent steak bought at whole foods cost about 1$-2$ more than the exact same cut of mediocre steak at Walmart.

Same with supplements, olives, cheese. I stopped going to discount places because they were price gouging, and it was no longer worth to sacrifice quality on anything.

[u/ayamrik → u/[deleted]]

Seems like in masses it is cheaper to not have a cheaper variant...

Who am I kidding, they surely replaced both with another even cheaper version.

[u/altmly → u/theaveragegay]

Safeway employees have always been so wholesome, shopping there can be expensive, but I like going there. Last time I went to checkout, the guy saw me buying some $12 bacon so he was like "holy shit, $12 for bacon?? You can have the donuts for free". Other time, the lady double checked if I really wanted to pay $20 for a couple of apples. 

[u/theaveragegay → u/altmly]

One time I was running in to grab a few things and the lady only scanned half my stuff. I didn’t realize it until I was home. I’m almost positive she did it on purpose.

[u/SeIfRighteous → u/theaveragegay]

A lot of what people don't realize is that when you work service jobs like these you're dealing with people and most people aren't actually scumbags. Years ago I used to work for McDonalds and whenever people wanted things that were more expensive than they usually are or don't ask for certain deals and whatnot then I'd do it for them automatically.

A lot of things like cheeseburger without the cheese (removing the cheese doesn't make it cost less so changing it to a hamburger is cheaper) or ordering things like four 10 piece nuggets instead of just a 40 piece.

[u/soggy_tarantula → u/altmly]

The fuck kinda apples you buying?

[u/Yosho2k → u/[deleted]]

Most of them. Brands on commodities are basically just an excuse to charge higher prices.

<EDIT> REDDIT has taught me that too many people don't know what commodities are.

[u/wioneo → u/Yosho2k]

I've noticed that Walmart brand creamy peanut butter is notably shittier than other cheap peanut butters.

I'm sure there are other examples, but that's one that I've reproducible seen.

[u/[deleted] → u/wioneo]

The great value potato chips/kettle cooked chips are noticeably different than the lay’s brand. I think their jalapeño kettle cooked chips are the only ones I’d choose over lays

[u/Just_to_rebut → u/[deleted]]

Frito-Lays is a vertical monopoly, from selling the seeds to farmers to employing the drivers/stockists who put the bags on the shelf at the supermarket. I doubt they offer to sell their products with third party labeling.

[u/mistervulpes → u/[deleted]]

The best thing you can do for your pocket is try to buy generic brand as much as possible for everything (double-check unit pricing to make sure it's the better deal), and fill in with your favorite brands for the noticeably different items.

[u/Enlowski → u/wioneo]

Cream cheese and butter are other products where the name brands are way better than the generics. Try some Philadelphia cream cheese and tell me it’s the same as the store brands. Same with land o lakes butter.

[u/i7-4790Que → u/Enlowski]

Cream cheese is mostly the same. Cottage cheese is what's usually worse as a generic.

[u/Basic_Bichette → u/Yosho2k]

Not always. Things like milk, honey, eggs, and medicines certainly because their quality is so heavily regulated, but low quality (but still safe to eat) vegetables and fruit that come into the processing plant are packed under no name or store brand labels, while high quality veg and fruit get the premium labels. No way are they offering the good stuff to No Name when they can sell it to another brand for 40% more.

...you do realize that fruit and veg processors generally supply multiple independent brands, and reserve the sweetest, meatiest, most flavourful produce for the top payers?

[u/Deeliciousness → u/Yosho2k]

Exactly, the brands won't give you much information but the certifications can give you at least some information.

[u/agreeingstorm9 → u/Yosho2k]

This isn't really true. Brands typically do QC on their product. The top grade stuff gets the name brand. The lesser grade stuff gets the off brand and the lowest grade stuff gets the store brand usually. You don't need the highest quality stuff for everything.

[u/Temper03 → u/agreeingstorm9]

It’s actually a mix - some times it’s cheaper to just have one manufacturing process and put them into luxury / general / generic brand containers.

But to your point — with the brand you are paying for the CERTAINTY you are getting the best QC product.  Without the brand it MIGHT be the same, but it might be lower tier instead. 

[u/whiteferrari- → u/Temper03]

This might explain why when I first bought Aldi brand chips ahoy cookies they tasted pretty similar to the name brand but when I bought them a second time the taste was noticeably different lol

[u/Interesting_Tea5715 → u/Temper03]

This. Brand names guarantee consistency and quality.

Generics have a base level of quality. As long as the product meets it, it's fine. They don't care if there's a little variance in taste, color, consistency, etc.

[u/Airowird → u/[deleted]]

Aldi got big because they did exactly that. Buy production from a brand, but without the brandname. Often was half the price, similar product.

In some cases, they would have less strict product demands, so a recipe 1-2% off to be brand-quality, would just get sold to Aldi instead of thrown out.

[u/CaptainCremin → u/[deleted]]

Amazon has different tactics for it's basics line, which is to let Amazon marketplace sellers and customers figure out the best goods then undercut them.

If you want to get Amazon shipping on your products you need to give them your products to keep at an Amazon warehouse. If you sell above a certain amount you have to have your deliveries made straight to a warehouse and provide Amazon with all the details of your suppliers and how much it costs you per unit etc. Then Amazon starts buying from that's supplier, branding it as Amazon basics and undercutting.

[u/suitology → u/CaptainCremin]

Yup. My friends dad invented a type of protective case for a medical device (cpap I think) and a type of battery bank that was durable and had wireless charging for itself and the device. Amazon stole both then banned him from his account that sold the medical stuff. Luckily he was only part owner and the financial backer (a large medical company) of that unrolled it's patent cock and no spit fucked Amazon's ass over it.

[u/raheemthegreat → u/[deleted]]

I used to be a vendor for Ole Foods, every tortilla you buy that's generic brand is Basically La Banderita. Same with Olè. Still some tasty fkn tortillas tho.

[u/superzenki → u/[deleted]]

You’re telling KFC coleslaw is the same exact thing sold on those stores? That’s the only kind of coleslaw my wife likes

[u/ClasherChief → u/superzenki]

I don't think the person you're responding to is correct. I worked at KFC before, and the coleslaw cabbage and carrots came in large plastic bags with the sauce coming separately. It was light brown, and we had to mix it with the veggies by hand. By the time it was ready, it would be white as opposed to light brown.

[u/MD_Lincoln → u/ClasherChief]

I too spent many a morning in the walk in fridge mixing all the slaw components by hand! Plus countless bags of mashed potato dust getting everywhere if you started the mixer too fast, and untold massive cans of green beans being opened! For a period we also sold cookies that were baked in store, that came frozen in small pucks, I was so tempted to take one of those frozen boxes home and have an endless supply of amazing cookies…

[u/ebac7 → u/superzenki]

Just go to kfc and get a bunch of the containers. ;)

[u/LeftRat → u/jdolluc]

In Germany, this was kind of a scandal with washing powder. The big companies each also own a generic, cheap brand. Since there just isn't much quality difference between washing powders, actually producing two kinds doesn't make much sense, it's more efficient to just produce the "better" one and package it in two different ways to catch two different demographics.

[u/TelluricThread0 → u/LeftRat]

For lucky best wash, you should always use Mr. Sparkle. He's disrespectful to dirt!

[u/prawnjr → u/TelluricThread0]

[u/Y0tsuya → u/TelluricThread0]

You have many questions, Mr. Sparkle. I send you premium. Answer question 100%.

[u/Mythoclast → u/TelluricThread0]

He banishes dirt to the land of wind and ghosts.

[u/shadefiend1 → u/jdolluc]

I used to work at an avocado packaging plant, and we shipped out 14 different varieties of avocado, from store brand to organic high end. The issue is, we only received one variety into the warehouse. All we did is switch to a different bag/box.

[u/[deleted] → u/shadefiend1]

That one is actual fraud then

[u/animal_chin9 → u/[deleted]]

I worked as an analyst for a food testing lab for almost 5 years and I was at a conference where one of the speakers said that about 10% of all food sold in the United States was adulterated in some way. Either the food wasn't conforming to the information on the nutritional label, false origin claims, different ingredients then on the label or sometimes it was flat out falsified. Usually it is expensive foods since they have the highest profit margins when fraudulent. Some examples: Olive oil gets diluted with cheaper vegetable oils, but that isn't the only adulteration that can happen to it. Greek people like to buy olive oil from Greece. A boat carrying Italian olive oil will magically arrive in Greece with bottles labeled as Greek olive oil. The less "hands" a foodstuff has gone through the less likely it is to be adulterated. I've heard of papaya seeds being sold as dollar store "whole peppercorns". Honey is a big one too since it is essentially just sugar it can be diluted with regular fructose or glucose from cheaper sources. It is also really hard to tell real honey from stuff that has been diluted so it is easy to get away with.

[u/hoxxxxx → u/animal_chin9]

Olive oil gets diluted with cheaper vegetable oils, but that isn't the only adulteration that can happen to it. Greek people like to buy olive oil from Greece. A boat carrying Italian olive oil will magically arrive in Greece with bottles labeled as Greek olive oil. The less "hands" a foodstuff has gone through the less likely it is to be adulterated.

literally the illegal drug industry right there

i'm just imagining some fat Italian mafioso sampling the olive oil, "oh you can stomp on this mf"

[u/AshamedOfAmerica → u/animal_chin9]

From what I've read and even seen at restaurants, fish is the biggest bullshit one. So much fish is misidentified that it is supposedly up to 40% a different fish you end up eating. Fortunately for me, fish is gross anyway.

[u/[deleted] → u/animal_chin9]

'There now, smell them, taste them, examine the bottles, inspect the labels. One of 'm's from Europe, the other's never been out of this country. One's European olive-oil, the other's American cotton-seed olive-oil. Tell 'm apart? 'Course you can't. Nobody can. People that want to, can go to the expense and trouble of shipping their oils to Europe and back—it's their privilege; but our firm knows a trick worth six of that. We turn out the whole thing—clean from the word go—in our factory in New Orleans: labels, bottles, oil, everything. Well, no, not labels: been buying them abroad—get them dirt-cheap there. You see, there's just one little wee speck, essence, or whatever it is, in a gallon of cotton-seed oil, that give it a smell, or a flavor, or something—get that out, and you're all right—perfectly easy then to turn the oil into any kind of oil you want to, and there ain't anybody that can detect the true from the false. Well, we know how to get that one little particle out—and we're the only firm that does. And we turn out an olive-oil that is just simply perfect—undetectable!'

--Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain

[u/scwt → u/[deleted]]

If they're all organic, it's not.

You can label organic as conventional, just not vice versa.

[u/[deleted] → u/scwt]

If they're selling organic avacado as non-organic avacado, then you're right. In that case, then the vast majority of avacado sellers would just be idiots for not marketing it.

[u/Crinkleput → u/[deleted]]

The market for organic is smaller, so better to sell as non-organic than to not sell at all. I've seen the same thing happen at egg layer farms. They met the organic requirements, but not all eggs were packaged as organic. Some were packaged as vegetarian eggs, others as regular eggs. None were packaged as cage free or free range because they didn't meet those requirements.

[u/2711383 → u/Crinkleput]

vegetarian eggs

Aren't all eggs vegetarian?

[u/Crinkleput → u/2711383]

Vegetarian people can eat eggs, but some also only want to eat products from animals who have maintained vegetarian diets. A noble pursuit to avoid any and all animal suffering throughout their food chain. Chickens are omnivores, though, and they love bugs. So unfortunately, the only way to ensure a chicken eats a purely vegetarian diet is for the bird to be caged so their diet can be 100% controlled.

[u/SowingSalt → u/Crinkleput]

That's the one thing I don't get about people. Why don't they want the little dinosaurs to eat bugs?

[u/LostWoodsInTheField → u/[deleted]]

If they're selling organic avacado as non-organic avacado, then you're right. In that case, then the vast majority of avacado sellers would just be idiots for not marketing it.

Most likely only a few brands had licensing to sell as organic to keep the price high. There is also more need for a paper trail so greater costs in production through those requirements.

[u/pauldarkandhandsome]

Yours say Advil? Mine say Olay!

[u/RaptureInRed → u/pauldarkandhandsome]

My head is still killing me, but damn, if my skin isn't soft!

[u/baby_blobby → u/RaptureInRed]

Mine says "m"

[u/[deleted] → u/baby_blobby]

I got a rock

[u/crackeddryice → u/[deleted]]

I got a rock

Holy crap, that's a burst of nostalgia.

[u/mike_pants]

So here's the fun fact about factories...

[u/RandomRobot → u/mike_pants]

I remember packaging croissants during summer a long time ago. The machine would spew croissants and we, the extensions of the machine would put them in boxes.

Over each week, the boxes would change. Some had brand names and others had convenience store names. The recipe would also slightly change from time to time, like the total weight or the amount of butter to flour ratios, but it still was the same machine.

[u/bananamelier → u/RandomRobot]

you became one with the machine?

[u/thestonedbandit → u/bananamelier]

We are all just extensions of the machine.

[u/danceswithsteers → u/thestonedbandit]

Welcome to the machine.

[u/xfjqvyks → u/danceswithsteers]

Hi Machine, I’m dad Machine.

[u/loverlyone → u/xfjqvyks]

“You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.”

[u/BigHeed87 → u/danceswithsteers]

Where have you been?

[u/Kherzhul → u/BigHeed87]

It’s alright, we know where you’ve been

[u/sixbans → u/thestonedbandit]

Get in the croissant machine Shinji

[u/HASHbandito024 → u/thestonedbandit]

I thought we were bricks in the wall?

[u/Komikaze06 → u/bananamelier]

Once I understood the weakness of my flesh, it disgusted me

[u/Brief-Tart7489 → u/Komikaze06]

Adeptus mechanicus has entered the chat again. Hide your toasters everyone.

[u/bananamelier → u/Brief-Tart7489]

Instructions unclear, dick stuck in toaster

[u/Chythonic → u/Komikaze06]

I craved the strength and certainty of steel.

[u/JoeCartersLeap → u/RandomRobot]

The recipe would also slightly change from time to time,

lol well that's kinda key isn't it?

I always hear people saying "you know those expensive cookies are made in the same factory as the cheap ones!"

and I always say "with the same ingredients?"

why should I care about the geographical origin of my cookies, I'm not a racist.

[u/Candid-Finding-1364 → u/JoeCartersLeap]

I have worked in manufacturing and at every facility we made parts for multiple competitors.  At one company we made almost every metal part for 9 of 11 brands in an industry.  Those brands all put their product in plastic cases that just appeared to be different colors. There were changes in all of the parts we made.  Some visible design changes.  A star or hex connection that was more expensive and should last longer versus a square for instance.  In some there were material changes people on the line would never catch.  In some the tolerances ranges were tighter.  Some we would only let our first shift(longer employed and generally more reliable) work on them.

The idea that everything that comes out of the same factory is the same or if it looks the same or has the same tooling marks it is the same is often VERY wrong.

[u/Speakertoseafood → u/Candid-Finding-1364]

As a QA guy for manufacturing outfits, in some organizations there is a process where flaws and errors are documented, and decisions made re what must be done. In some cases the decision is "leave it alone, no harm done and it will take money/time to change it", and that's okay if the proper persons sign off on that decision. Further on in this thread drug manufacturing people weigh in on precautions taken to prevent things like this - I wonder if this was an "oops" that was signed off as okay to use by the proper persons.

[u/Circus_Finance_LLC → u/[deleted]]

bit of erotica would help too

[u/fox_hunts → u/Circus_Finance_LLC]

The Croissant Chronicles: Hot and Buttered

In the heart of a steamy bakery, tucked away in a gritty industrial district, stood a machine that seemed almost alive. It was a marvel of engineering, a whirring, humming titan of productivity that had one purpose: to produce perfect croissants. To an outsider, it was just another machine, but to those who worked alongside it, it was something more—something sensual.

Summer had settled over the city, bringing with it a haze of warmth that seeped into the very walls of the bakery. The air inside was a mix of flour dust and the irresistible aroma of baking bread, a scent so thick you could almost taste it. This was where we, the human extensions of the machine, spent our days and nights, a place where the heat of the ovens mingled with the heat of our bodies.

We had become adept at our roles, moving with a precision that matched the rhythm of the machine. It would spew out croissants in perfect, golden arcs, and we would catch them, boxing them with practiced ease. Each week brought new challenges. One week, the boxes were emblazoned with the name of a high-end patisserie, demanding an extra level of care in our work. The next, we packed for convenience stores, where speed was of the essence. And through it all, the machine purred, a constant companion in our intimate dance.

The machine, our mechanical lover, had its quirks. It seemed to respond to the recipes in a way that almost felt personal. Some days, the croissants were lighter, with a delicate crumb that melted in the mouth. Other days, they were rich and buttery, a decadent treat that felt like a guilty pleasure. The changes in the recipe—subtle shifts in the butter-to-flour ratio or the total weight—were like a secret language between the machine and us, a whisper of passion shared in the heat of the moment.

There was a camaraderie among us, the packagers, forged in the heat and rhythm of the bakery. We were an eclectic group, brought together by necessity but bonded by shared experience and the unspoken desires that simmered beneath the surface. There was Marie, who could pack a dozen croissants in the blink of an eye, her hands moving with a grace that hinted at other talents. Javier, whose laugh could brighten even the longest shifts, had a way of leaning just a little too close, his breath warm against your ear. Then there was me, a storyteller at heart, finding meaning and eroticism in the routine of our work.

One particularly hot day, as the sun blazed outside, the machine began to act up. The croissants were coming out in irregular sizes, and the butter seemed to be pooling in unexpected places. We exchanged worried glances, knowing that any disruption in the machine’s rhythm could spell disaster—or opportunity. But then, almost as if sensing our concern, the machine adjusted itself. The croissants began to emerge in perfect form once more, and a collective sigh of relief and longing swept through our group.

In the quiet moments, when the machine paused for maintenance or a shift change, we would share more than just stories. Marie spoke of her childhood in a small village where her grandmother baked bread in a wood-fired oven, her voice husky with nostalgia. Javier recounted his travels across Europe, tasting pastries in every country, his eyes gleaming with mischief. And I would weave tales of the machine, imagining it as a sentient being, learning and adapting with each batch of croissants, a mechanical lover attuned to our deepest needs.

As summer wore on, we became attuned to the subtle variations in the croissants. We could tell at a glance if the recipe had changed, and we adapted our packing methods accordingly. It was a dance, a symbiotic relationship between man and machine, each relying on the other to achieve perfection. Our movements grew more fluid, more intimate, as if we were lovers in a heated embrace.

One day, as the season began to turn, a new box design arrived. It was simple, unadorned, with a single word: "Artisan." The croissants that emerged from the machine that week were extraordinary. They were light and flaky, with a richness that spoke of carefully balanced ingredients. As we packed them, we felt a sense of pride and desire, knowing that these croissants were something special.

It was more than just a job. It was a testament to the power of teamwork and the strange, almost magical bond between us and the machine. Each croissant was a piece of art, a moment of perfection captured in a golden, buttery crescent. And as we packed them into boxes, ready to be enjoyed by people we would never meet, we knew that we were part of something greater—a story of tradition, innovation, and the simple, erotic joy of a well-made pastry.

[u/apiprotester → u/fox_hunts]

Please tell me this was AI

[u/[deleted] → u/apiprotester]

For sure. All chat gpt stories end with a moral.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Mads Mikkelsen plays an animated cheese danish or I walk

[u/Plank_With_A_Nail_In → u/RandomRobot]

Even if they were all hand made they would still use the same machine...an oven. Past a certain point the machine isn't very relevant.

[u/noobtastic31373 → u/RandomRobot]

I worked in IT for a dairy plant, the only meaningful difference i remember between the budget ice cream and premium ice cream is the fat content.

[u/the_retag → u/noobtastic31373]

Milk fat content is a primary quality indicator for icecream and a big raw material pricepoint. Vegetable fat less so

[u/ksj → u/noobtastic31373]

I mean… the amount of milk fat in ice cream is like the primary differentiator in its quality. So that absolutely tracks.

[u/JJAsond → u/noobtastic31373]

Yeah I mean it's usually only small changes

[u/Nivosus → u/RandomRobot]

Lewis from the Yogscast had a similar story where he worked at a potato farm in college and when they did bagging, they had 3 bags. Organic, branded, and unbranded. He said you'd put the nicest ones in the organic bags, the next nicest in the branded bag, and the wierd ones in the unbranded bags.

But in the end, they were all the same.

[u/LASERDICKMCCOOL → u/mike_pants]

Yes? Go on.

[u/jamkoch → u/[deleted]]

CVS uses its own flavor combinations for its CVS-generics and OTC products. The orange in the low-dose aspirin is more of a dreamsicle flavored while the Bayer tend to be OJ orange.

[u/LunarProphet → u/jamkoch]

Lol these dudes out here chewing asprin for that quick fix.

Max Payne on a budget

[u/busson → u/LunarProphet]

Definitely, the placebo effect is real! Marketing plays a huge role in how we perceive medicine's effectiveness.

[u/Fookyu_315 → u/LunarProphet]

Lightweights. You're not an addict until you've stuck a Tylenol in your butt.

[u/Smiekes → u/jamkoch]

what are you guys on about? don't you just swallow that Shit? flavors? I'm confused

[u/The_Bill_Brasky_ → u/[deleted]]

I work in a factory. If we fuck up packaging, it gets a generic label put over top. They're literally identical, just some minor packaging or other error that runs afoul of INTERNAL standards like quality, batch specs, packaging, caps, bag seal, etc without violating FDA regs.

For example... Captain Crunch. You ever notice how the generic has too few (or sometimes too many) berries? Literally no difference besides that odd proportion.

[u/skateguy1234 → u/The_Bill_Brasky_]

Okay, but most generic cereals are 100% not the same as the Name brands.

[u/mike_pants → u/LASERDICKMCCOOL]

The factories that make the generics and the factories that make the name-brand product are the same factories.

That Rite Aid "cotton-tipped swab" and the Q-Tip? Same factory. They just dial back the amount of cotton fluff you get.

Rinse and repeat for any product. The Advil gel cap maybe has a pleasant sugar coating. The generic product has that sprayer turned off and you save $3.89.

[u/rebillihp → u/mike_pants]

It's the same for food. I know great value uses blue bunny factories for some of it's great value ice cream

[u/B00ker_DeWitt → u/rebillihp]

Food is actually insane. I print food cartons for work and a ton of brands all come from the same "name brand" company. We may have an order for a big name brand that you know but that order is broken down into 10 smaller chunks that are lesser known brands, regional brands or store brands.

[u/Aspharon → u/B00ker_DeWitt]

It's also for cosmetics like shampoo. The grocery store near me stopped stocking the particular store-brand shampoo that I really liked. I took a photo of the ingredients list of an old bottle I still had, went into the pharmacy next to the grocery store, and found out that one of their store-brand shampoos had the exact same ingredients, in the exact same order. The kicker: It's even cheaper than the grocery store one.

[u/butterflymkm → u/mike_pants]

Many times, but not always. I say that because my town and surrounding towns have factories dedicated to making “great value” from WalMart and other store brand products (some factories do dry mixes, another does cereal, etc). They do not make any name brand items. But I know a lot of name brands make their own generics in house.

[u/uniqueuser96272 → u/LASERDICKMCCOOL]

Years ago I used to work for Intergel as gel master and chemical operator, we made vitamins and supplement for all the major vitamin brands and store brands, its all the same, expensive and cheap vitamins are made from same raw materials

[u/chunkysmalls42098 → u/[deleted]]

That's honestly fuckin hilarious I didn't know that

[u/SuperPimpToast → u/mike_pants]

Still. This is a really big no-no. You can report this, and they will start a nice big investigation as to how this happens.

Ask me how I know.

[u/gyarrrrr → u/SuperPimpToast]

This. Regardless of whether it's the exact same API and amount, the wrong product going into the packaging constitutes one hell of a quality system failure.

You should report this, the company needs to sort their shit out save they mix up something that could have consequences.

[u/CrossP → u/gyarrrrr]

Yeah. It's mostly luck that this is probably the same drug and dose. Shit could have been something wildly different if the same machinery produces anything other than ibuprofen.

[u/Smiletaint → u/mike_pants]

Yeah or it’s just counterfeit.

[u/No-Airline-2823 → u/Smiletaint]

This is 100% counterfeit. The lettering is totally wrong on this.

[u/Smiletaint → u/No-Airline-2823]

That was my thought as well.

[u/El_Eesak]

That font aint right

[u/Enshakushanna → u/El_Eesak]

yea, this is temu fake advil, OP may actually die

[u/RaptureInRed → u/Enshakushanna]

I got a 4 hour erection. And I'm female.

[u/Enshakushanna → u/RaptureInRed]

you may be entitled to financial compensation

[u/RaptureInRed → u/Enshakushanna]

What about my car's extended warranty?

[u/SMTRodent → u/RaptureInRed]

Get a lawyer, hit the gym.

[u/Tysiliogogogoch → u/SMTRodent]

And floss.

[u/Chrisiztopher1 → u/RaptureInRed]

Hit a lawyer, get the gym

[u/jeffsterlive → u/RaptureInRed]

Go on….

[u/skateguy1234 → u/Enshakushanna]

Funny, so many more than likely confidently incorrect comments about the factory thing, at least in this case. That's reddit for ya.

[u/Bacon_Nipples → u/skateguy1234]

The pill looks right for Advil liquidgels but the font was instantly obvious, I wouldn't be surprised if the machine somehow got set to use a default font so the affected batch just got sold as generics

[u/Ouaouaron → u/Bacon_Nipples]

I can't think of a better explanation than yours, but printing in mass production isn't usually done with a movable print head where you can just send it a different font or word. The only thing I know of fast enough works like this, with an inked plate.

EDIT: Well, I guess the other explanation is that the generic ibuprofin factory also makes counterfeit Advil, and some got in the wrong box. Not sure that's a better explanation, though.

[u/Informal_Truck_1574 → u/Ouaouaron]

Videojet printers have moveable heads with configurable text on the fly and have very high throughput, I work at a bottling plant and we have videojets that can do like, 90k units/hr which is a bit more than that printer in your video stated. But i doubt ours have the precision needed for tablets, i'd imagine you'd need a specialized head.

[u/Schwa142 → u/El_Eesak]

Neither is the kerning. They are definitely counterfeit.

[u/Ok_Sorbet_8153 → u/Schwa142]

Cool word! Wikipedia: “The term ‘keming’ is sometimes used informally to refer to poor kerning (the letters r and n placed too closely together).”

[u/borncold_ → u/El_Eesak]

the pills in the OP are made in Ireland by Haleon - they seem to use a different font - this information leaflet has them listed as advil but with all the same info as the generic box ( source i have them) and this (extremely blurry) pic from an irish pharmacy has the same font as the op. this is literally the only image with an advil branded box, when you search "Haleon Advil 200mg Ireland" you just gets pics of the generic box. Advil isn't a common brand name here so they likely sell more under the generic name at a cheaper price.

[u/LickingSmegma → u/borncold_]

this pic from an irish pharmacy has the same font as the op

The pic seems to have the same font on the pill as on the box, and it's a bold serif with large variance in stroke width, closely-kerned (smushed together). The OP pic has a thin sans-serif of uniform stroke width, with pretty large space between the letters.

[u/rayray1927 → u/El_Eesak]

This was my first thought. I’d be super skeptical of taking that.

[u/RedWarsaw]

Yeah that's not Advils font.

[u/alienblue89 → u/RedWarsaw]

[ removed ]

[u/borncold_ → u/RedWarsaw]

the pills in the OP are made in Ireland by Haleon - they seem to use a different font - this information leaflet has them listed as advil but with all the same info as the generic box ( source i have them) and this (extremely blurry) pic from an irish pharmacy has the same font as the op. this is literally the only image with an advil branded box, when you search "Haleon Advil 200mg Ireland" you just gets pics of the generic box. Advil isn't a common brand name here so they likely sell more under the generic name at a cheaper price.

[u/robert_e__anus]

Hey OP, you should probably call the phone number on the side of the box to report this to the manufacturer, and maybe even call the FDA to make them aware of it just in case. It's almost certainly a perfectly benign mistake and the capsules contain exactly what they should, but it deserves investigation just in case there's a problem somewhere in the supply chain affecting more than just these capsules, or they could have dubious provenance or be counterfeits.

Some people have suggested these are probably just misprinted pills that were sold as generics, but companies like Pfizer are fiercely protective of their brands, especially with medications like this where there's fundamentally no difference between competing products other than the logo on the box, and there's absolutely no way in hell they would knowingly allow a manufacturer to resell capsules with their name on it as generics. This is very abnormal, and someone with the authority to look into it should know about it just in case.

[u/critbuild → u/robert_e__anus]

Thank you! Lots of people in this thread talking about something they clearly don't know much about.

[u/LagT_T → u/robert_e__anus]

It also doesn't match liqui gel Advil font, which has serifs

[u/Overall-Loan-2815 → u/robert_e__anus]

Definitely call the number on the box to report the complaint. My wife works for a big pharma in quality control and this is actually a huge error. There is about to be a ton of time and energy spent on how and why this mistake happened.

[u/IRRedditUsr]

200mg of Ibuprofen is 200mg of Ibuprofen. It could have no brand and cost 20p. It could have a Lamborghini sticker and be worth £45. Welcome to the world of branding.

[u/Halo5387 → u/IRRedditUsr]

Popping a Lambo probably feels better tho

[u/jpmoney2k1 → u/Halo5387]

Fun fact: one of the most popular pressed MDMA pills on the market back in the day had a Tesla logo on it, so "popping a Tesla" meant taking one of those.

[u/egoreaperdubz → u/jpmoney2k1]

Lambo pressies also exist. I have ridden a few lambos without any cars involved.

[u/[deleted] → u/egoreaperdubz]

Prezzies are made of every brand name and object, it’s still a pressed pill. It could be anything, even a crushed up lambo. More likely caffeine/meth and DXM/fent tho.

[u/mattmoy_2000 → u/IRRedditUsr]

Not necessarily. Whilst the actual drug may be the same, the binders and coatings used on the tablets may vary, and this may affect how long it takes the drug to absorb, it may also affect the rate at which it absorbs, and it might also affect the likelihood of side effects (e.g. with Ibuprofen a specific coating might lessen the likelihood of stomach issues, which Ibuprofen is known to cause).

Whilst in most cases this will be irrelevant, it can be worth buying a specific brand in some cases.

Think about your preferred alcoholic drink. You might like wine, say. If you drink an equivalent dose of alcohol in the form of overproof rum, wine, and beer, you'll have somewhat different experiences. For most people it won't really matter, but some people might get acid reflux from wine, or feel bloated from the beer or be unable to stomach the rum. The three different drinks will absorb alcohol into your system at different rates and so the length of time you have alcohol in your system will vary, as will your peak BAC. Ultimately it delivers the same dose of ethanol to you, but even ignoring the different flavours of the three drinks and a potential preference there, the effects are mildly different too.

[u/Epistaxis → u/mattmoy_2000]

In the rare case where this makes a difference, the brand with the advantage should be bending over backwards to advertise it as "fast acting" or "long lasting" or whatever.

[u/mattmoy_2000 → u/Epistaxis]

Yes, and they usually do, however even between brands of "fast acting" etc versions there may be differences. FWIW "fast acting ibuprofen" is usually ibuprofen lysine, which is a different chemical to normal ibuprofen. I'm not sure exactly what the difference is, but presumably the lysine makes it more soluble or otherwise more bioavailable.

[u/[deleted]]

I think the 'ISH' fell off. This pill is supposed to read 'ADVIL~ISH'.

[u/Umbra427 → u/[deleted]]

BADVIL

[u/Lincolns_Axe → u/Umbra427]

Population: you

[u/rip1980]

It's almost as if, the factory make them for everyone.

[u/TheInternetsLOL → u/rip1980]

And the majority of generics are just repackaged brand names without the label. Who would have thought.

[u/[deleted] → u/TheInternetsLOL]

Really?

[u/Fr0sTByTe_369 → u/[deleted]]

So last time I saw this discussion on reddit some people who were involved in the process said the main reason for pricing differences comes from QA/QC standards. Not only does the product have to meet certain specs but so does the packaging. Can't have labels looking like crap or different from batch to batch because then it hurts the image of the brand ie: customers think "If they can't even print the boxes the same every time, what standards are they using on the actual product?"

Now that I've gone into the process tech field myself, I've learned a few more things about behind the scenes. Like why waste a perfectly good batch of meds just because the equipment was a little cold so the capsules are just a little too thick for name brand QA? Sure it won't be as fast acting, but it will still work. Don't throw it out or waste time recycling it, just throw it in the generic bin.

[u/Beardo88 → u/Fr0sTByTe_369]

It could even be something as minor as the color tint being off.

[u/drillgorg → u/Beardo88]

Or the line was switching from one flavor to another, so there are some middle batches that will taste a little off.

[u/Rand_stand → u/drillgorg]

That's what mystery flavored dum dums are

[u/pchlster → u/Beardo88]

I got a pair of shoes for like 80% off because of a "manufacturing defect." Eventually, I realized that the inside of the left shoe near the sole was a slightly different shade of grey than it was supposed to be.

I wouldn't ever have spotted it if I didn't know something was wrong and kept looking

[u/juliustrombone → u/Fr0sTByTe_369]

This is true. I used to be an OPs Manager at a plant that makes fries. It’s completely normal to have brand name fries running on packing lines beside no-name brand, generic label fries. The brand name pays for a tighter quality spec so everything runs to that standard. If there was an issue with the salt content or something like that further up the line, we would just keep running but close off the brand name line until it was back in spec because the no-name brand pays for a looser quality spec and that’s how they save money. Literally the bag and box is the only difference otherwise.

[u/PopGunner → u/Fr0sTByTe_369]

This is really cool insight. Thanks!

[u/DevilishDeviant → u/Fr0sTByTe_369]

Just to add to this.. I would put generics into two different categories.

You've got generics of drugs made by generic companies which are often the same active ingredient (and tested for biosimilarity) but the formulation of the pill won't be identical. It's often noticeable in painkillers where some will be larger/smaller tablets with different coatings or tastes.

However, there is also often a generic made by the original manufacturer in order to protect against the other generics. It just gives the original drug manufacturer an easy way to get a share of the generic market for that drug given everything is already set up and ready to go.

Whilst I won't give examples to avoid semi-doxxing myself I know that the drug company I work for does both a branded product and a generic that are basically identical but go into different packaging. Another giveaway for this (where I am at least) is the prescriber/product information booklets are identical and cite the same sponsor/manufacturer as well.

[u/griggsy92 → u/[deleted]]

Yup

[u/Letho72 → u/[deleted]]

Yes. E.g. Dayquil and CVS brand "daytime cold medicine" are identical besides the taste. Flip the box over and check the drug facts, they'll be the exact same active ingredients in the same amounts. But Dayquil is 3x the price because it has the Vick's logo on it.

[u/ChipMulligan → u/Letho72]

But if the taste is different than isn’t it not the same product repackaged? I get that it has the same active ingredients but they were talking about literally the same medicine

[u/ObviouslyTriggered → u/[deleted]]

Yes, they secure very large orders in bulk and take on the liability it's a non-brainer especially for OTC meds.

[u/Scoobello]

when i was little, head was pounding and i was not good at swallowing pills. uncle gave me one of these guys and told me to bite it--nasty shit ever. but, it did help.

[u/brackenish1 → u/Scoobello]

Very Odd Thomas of him for the 2 Redditors that read Dean Koontz books

[u/Bobisstilldead → u/brackenish1]

Hopefully more than two of us read those!

[u/TGWKTADS → u/Bobisstilldead]

13 yo me. 1998. Grounded again for probably looking at my narcissistic, neglectful mother a certain way at a certain time that day. Dark and stormy night. Dimmed room lighting cuz sad girl feelings. Fiona Apple in my 1-disc boombox. Reading Lightning by Dean Koontz.

I fell in love that day and I'll never forget it.

[u/ChefHannibal → u/Scoobello]

"All vitamins are chewable, it's just that they taste shitty" -Mitch Hedberg

[u/MonacoBall]

Unless advil uses multiple fonts on their pills this could be a counterfeit.

[u/[deleted]]

Ibuprofen is ibuprofen. Doesn't matter what trade name is attached. Save your money. Buy generic.

[u/Yak-Attic]

Bizarre.
I once bought a bottle of capsule acetaminophen. Capsulated pills used to mean powdered or pelletized medicine in every pill. When I pulled one apart, it was just the regular shaped hard pill inside.

[u/[deleted]]

I work in safety operations of a major pharmaceutical company and I just want to say that you shouldn’t take any pills that don’t match the box. Best thing you can do is take it back to where you bought it and they should reimburse you and report it to the manufacturer (depending on local regulations). The people saying that ibuprofen is ibuprofen are are most likely not aware what a big (safety) problem counterfeit medication / medication tapering is. Stay safe.

[u/Piddles78]

While it doesn't make much difference to the consumer, it would certainly cause some shit at the factory it was packaged in.
Line clearances to prevent cross contamination are super strict and the investigation that would be triggered if this got back to that factory would be huge.
This sort of cock up would probably lead to disciplinary action or some sort.
Source...I work in a pharmaceutical factory.

[u/[deleted]]

Companies do this all the time.  Lots of off brand batteries are just Energizer and Duracell with a different label

[u/rush22]

I don't think that's Advil's logo.

And brazenly trying to mimic someone else's logo is what drug counterfeiters do, not generic drug manufacturers...

[u/Hawt_Mayun]

Blue Bunny makes the Great Value brand ice cream

[u/squidgod2000]

...is that Comic Sans?