Every Friday consumer reporter Lynda Steele dips into the CTV mailbag to answer viewer questions. This week, Steele on Your Side examines why new Pampers packaging contains fewer diapers, and how much information realtors have to disclose to their clients.
Pampers packaging
Donald contacted CTV News after he noticed new packaging for Pampers products. He wants to know why the new Pampers packages have about seven per cent fewer diapers in them than the previous ones.
Pampers says the smaller packages are a result of a recent upgrade to its diapers. Changes have been made to the entire line of Pampers products. The company says each diaper has more absorbent material and the wipes are thicker.
Rather than increasing the package cost, Pampers says it adapted the diaper counts and wipe counts per pack.
Donald says he’s not convinced by the explanation and says he feels like it’s a cash grab.
Realtor incentives
Travis contacted Steele on Your Side to ask about realtor incentives. He was recently looking at a home for sale and was told the owner had added a $10,000 bonus to the buying agent's commission. He wants to know if a realtor has to disclose that information to their client.
The Real Estate Council of BC told CTV News that a buyer's agent mustdisclose to their client the full amount of compensation their brokerage is to receive in a deal. That includes any bonus being offered. The reason is, to make sure the buyer is informed about any information that could impact their negotiations. Being upfront about compensation can give buyers a little piece of mind, knowing their realtor is acting in their best interest and not just trying to sell the home with the highest commission.
