Have you ever opened a new bottle of shampoo, jar of face cream or tube of suncream only to find it's far from full to the top? You're not alone; tens of thousands of unhappy shoppers have taken to online forums to vent their frustrations about part-empty containers in the beauty world.
Toiletries are among the worst offenders, with super-sized packaging often giving customers a misleading impression of just how much they're getting for their money.
Some leading brands use opaque bottles or labels, so you can't see what's inside, while others have double-walled sides, large lids or false bases that can make quantities appear bigger than they are.
So why do manufacturers put their products in such big containers? And why don't they fill them to the top? 'They use bigger containers so it looks like you're getting more for your money,' says Ariane Young, a celebrity and media make-up artist.
'Ingredients, labour and marketing are more expensive but customers are less willing to shell out on new products every month, so brands are finding ways to cut corners.'
