Is That Restaurant Ketchup Bottle Actually Filled With Heinz? Here's How To Tell - Tasting Table

"In 2023, Heinz addressed the scourge of the restaurant table known as 'ketchup fraud', in which restaurants replace the ketchup in spent Heinz squeezy bottles with cheaper brands."

"The mission, according to VML, the marketing agency behind the campaign, is to stop restaurants from cutting corners by passing off cheaper ketchup as Heinz, supposedly for the sake of the customer."

"What makes this campaign so effective is putting the customer in the position of the detective."

"There is some debate about whether the red border is actually effective, with some online commentary pointing out that color might not be the be-all and end-all measure of authenticity."

In 2023, Heinz launched a campaign to combat 'ketchup fraud' where restaurants replace Heinz ketchup with cheaper alternatives. The campaign features a red border, Pantone 7626C, on the label, which matches the color of Heinz ketchup. This initiative aims to empower customers to identify counterfeit ketchup and protect Heinz's brand integrity. While the concept is straightforward, there are questions about its effectiveness, as variations in ketchup color and lighting conditions may affect the reliability of the color test.

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