Venable partner Angel A. Garganta was quoted in a June 11, 2015 Wall Street Journal on laws and regulations governing slack fill, or putting less product in a package than what is perceived. Consumer product makers have used the process for years to quietly raise prices. Federal regulations allow the practice under several circumstances including protecting products during shipping, unavoidable settling of contents and limitation on machines used to close packing.
According to Garganta, states have wide leeway to increase empty space in packing. California for example allows more "safe harbors" than companies can use to justify larger packaging.