‘FDA Violation’: Man Opens a 1-Pound Package of Great Value Bacon From Walmart. Then He Finds Out How Much Bacon May Be Missing
Short weighting scam.
A Walmart shopper just opened a 1-pound package of Great Value bacon and found nearly three strips missing. The video posted by creator Jimmy Wrigg, @james_wrigg on TikTok, shows the package weighing in at 13.4 ounces instead of the promised 16, a shortfall that adds up to what he calls a “free 100% profit package” for the retailer every seven or eight purchases.
Wrigg has built a following by testing packaged meats and other grocery items for weight discrepancies. His bio states ‘Coalition Of Consumer Advocates’ and ‘Investigating Corporate Fraud.’ The current video, which has already racked up strong engagement, shows him weighing three unopened 1-pound packages of Great Value bacon on a store scale.
Each one falls short, with one measuring as low as 13.4 ounces. After opening the package, he weighs individual strips to demonstrate exactly how much bacon is missing which is about three strips per pound. The video’s on-screen text and hashtags like #walmartfraud and #scalefraud frame the issue as a potential regulatory violation, not just a one-off mistake.
The problem isn’t just about bacon
Wrigg’s previous videos have exposed similar issues with other Walmart meat products, including Kentucky Legend hams that weighed less than half their labeled amount. According to the Tasting Table, in one case, a ham labeled as 5.62 pounds actually weighed 2.53 pounds.
Another video showed a package of Walmart-branded chicken breast tenderloins labeled at 4.66 pounds but weighing only 2.37 pounds. These differences might appear minor. However, they’re significant enough to raise questions about whether customers are consistently overpaying for underfilled packages.
If you’re wondering whether this is legal, the answer is complicated. Federal and state weights-and-measures regulations allow for small tolerances in packaged goods, but the discrepancies Wrigg highlights often exceed those limits. The FDA and USDA have rules in place to prevent this kind of short-weighting, but enforcement can be inconsistent.
Some commenters on Wrigg’s video have shared their own experiences with underfilled products, including one who measured a bottle of expensive perfume oil and found 23% less than the labeled amount. Another said they’d reported similar issues to the FDA years ago, only to see no action taken.
The frustration is understandable
Grocery prices have been a sore spot for shoppers, and videos like Wrigg’s tap into that anger. One commenter called it “corporate theft” and asked how customers can hold retailers accountable.
Others wondered if weighing products in-store would get them kicked out, while some defended the practice as just “how things have always been.” The debate highlights a broader issue: when shoppers feel like they’re being nickel-and-dimed, even small discrepancies can feel like a betrayal. So what can you do if you suspect a package is underfilled? The first step is to weigh it yourself. Many grocery stores have produce scales that let you check weights before buying.
If you find a discrepancy, you can report it to your state’s Office of Weights and Measurements (OWM). The OWM is responsible for ensuring accuracy in weights and measures, and they can send undercover investigators to check for violations. You can also report issues to the USDA, though as some commenters have noted, follow-up isn’t always guaranteed.
Walmart has faced similar issues before
In 2024, a class-action lawsuit against Walmart over misweighed fruits led to a $45 million settlement. Kentucky Legend, one of the brands Wrigg has called out, blamed a packaging error for the weight discrepancies in its hams and said it removed affected products from shelves. But as Wrigg’s May 8 video showed, mislabeled products were still showing up in stores weeks later.
The bigger question is whether this is an isolated issue or a systemic problem. Wrigg’s videos suggest it’s not just bad luck—it’s a pattern. And with grocery prices still high, shoppers are paying closer attention than ever. If you’re buying pre-packaged meat, it might be worth doing a quick weigh-in before checkout. After all, three strips of bacon might not seem like much, but over time, those missing ounces add up.
(Featured images: Jimmy Wrigg @james_wrigg on TikTok)
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