Martin Lewis flags Wotsits packaging as misleading
Consumer champion highlights calorie count discrepancy on crisp bags, sparking wider debate on food labelling.
News London evidence indexOpen analysis ▾
Trust 56: includes named source Martin Lewis and specific dates, but lacks documents or multiple independent outlets.
Higher is stronger
Critic 77: quotes Lewis, provides specific figures and dates, and maintains clear separation of fact and comment.
Higher is stronger
Hype 15: language is measured; headline matches article without sensational exaggeration.
Lower is better
Consumer advocate Martin Lewis has drawn attention to the nutritional labelling on bags of Wotsits, a popular crisp brand. Lewis pointed out that the information provided on the 36g packet is calculated for a 30g serving. This means the stated calorie count of 148kcal does not reflect the total for the entire bag, which actually contains 178kcal.
Lewis shared his observation on X, formerly Twitter, on 29 July 2026, describing the labelling as 'misleading and unnecessary'. He questioned the logic behind the serving size, asking, 'Who eats 5/6 of a bag?'
Barnet residents face more blocked pavements as 3,393 dockless e‑bikes seized citywide
London boroughs report a 23% rise in e‑bike removals this year, with Lime accounting for the majority of seizures and blind groups warning of safety risks
Public reaction and debate
The consumer champion's post initiated a wider discussion among social media users regarding food labelling practices. Many participants in the online conversation called for manufacturers to provide calorie counts for the full product package, rather than for a specific, often smaller, serving size. Some suggested that listing total calories would make consumers more aware of their intake, a move they felt manufacturers might avoid.
Questions were also raised about whether such labelling practices adhere to existing regulations, with some users speculating that companies might be following rules that are perceived as inadequate. Concerns were also voiced about the general trend of reduced portion sizes and the effectiveness of front-of-pack nutritional information.
Soho residents gain new two‑storey arcade bar with 60 games
NQ64's latest venue on Manette Street offers UV‑lit pool tables, augmented‑reality darts and a cocktail menu inspired by gaming culture, according to the operator.
Other examples of potentially misleading labelling were shared by users, including mozzarella cheese portions being described as a single slice and cereal boxes being manufactured in sizes that do not accurately reflect their weight compared to older packaging. Newsquest contacted PepsiCo, the owner of Wotsits, for a comment on the matter.
Questions this report answers
+Why is the Wotsits packaging being criticised?
The Wotsits packaging is criticised because it lists nutritional information for a 30g serving on a 36g bag, making the calorie count appear lower than the actual 178kcal in the full bag. This discrepancy has been called misleading by consumer champion Martin Lewis.
+What did Martin Lewis say about the Wotsits packaging?
Martin Lewis described the Wotsits packaging as 'misleading and unnecessary' on X, noting that the 148kcal per 30g serving does not reflect the true 178kcal in the full 36g bag. He questioned why anyone would eat only part of the bag.
+What has PepsiCo said about the criticism?
PepsiCo, the owner of Wotsits, has not yet publicly responded to the criticism raised by Martin Lewis. Newsquest contacted the company for comment but no statement has been issued as of the article's publication.
News London Desk
This article was written at the News London news desk from the reporting of the outlets listed below it. Drafting is done by a language model under human editorial supervision — there is no reporter behind this byline, and we would rather say so than invent one.
How stories are produced and scoredWho runs News LondonCorrections
The London Ledger
A considered capital-wide edit delivered each morning.