Many people can’t tell these apart, but it’s super important.

Watkins says McCormick is trying to trick people to make their product seem better than others. They argue that McCormick is using tricky packaging instead of making their product better. Even though McCormick’s tins say they contain 6 ounces of pepper, the writing is small and hard to read right away.

This trick, called “slack-filling,” is seen as dishonest and breaks rules to protect consumers. McCormick isn’t giving customers as much pepper as they think by not filling their tins all the way. This doesn’t just affect how much you get for your money, but it also makes it hard to compare products accurately.

So, when you’re at the store buying spices, look closely at the package. Don’t be fooled by the size of the tin—what’s in it is what counts!