Percentage of air in Chip Bags

When shopping, there’s actually quite a bit of misleading packaging out there that you need to be careful of. When it comes to snacks, you’ve surely noticed that when you open the bag or canister of tasty chips, the packages aren’t always exactly full.

Here’s a look at several popular brands of potato chips, and how much “air” is typically in each package. The reason for this is a process called “slack fill,” which some even think makes the snacks have a better taste. By allowing this space in the packaging, the package is better protected from damage during transit, according to manufacturers.

Based on this, a bag of Cheetos has the most air at 59%. The lowest shown here would be Fritos at 19%. This pictorial fraction chart visualization was created by Reddit user /u/doughilarious and was originally shared in the /r/DataisBeautiful Subreddit.

Here’s how they break down as far as air in the bag goes:

Cheetos: 59% air
Ruffles: 50% air
Stacy’s Pita Chips: 50% air
TERRA: 49% air
Doritos: 48% air
Kettle Brand: 47% air
Cape Cod: 46% air
Popchips: 45% air
Lays: 41% air
Sun Chips: 41% air
Lays Baked: 39% air
Tostitos Scoops: 34% air
Pringles: 28% air
Fritos: 19% air

By putting this extra space in the bag, chips are given a longer shelf life, moisture is kept away, and it keeps the chips whole. Keeping the moisture away is incredibly important, because it allows the snacks to stay nice and tasty until you’re ready to eat them.

More information:

https://medium.com/@InlineFilling/the-slack-fill-factor-explained-a3328bcd9a0d
https://thechartistry.com