Pringles' Secret: Why They're Not Really Potato Chips

The Pringles brand has been synonymous with its unique tube can and stackable shape for decades. However, despite being called 'potato chips,' they don't actually fit the FDA's definition of a traditional potato chip.

The issue started in the 1960s when Procter & Gamble first introduced Pringles to the market. A group called the Potato Chip Institute International tried to sue them for using the term 'newfangled potato chip.'

In 1975, the FDA officially declared that Procter & Gamble could only refer to their product as a potato chip if it included a disclaimer stating that it's made from dried potatoes. Instead of fighting this, Procter & Gamble started referring to Pringles as 'potato crisps,' which is the British term for potato chips.

Interestingly, in the UK, Procter & Gamble claimed that Pringles weren't actually potato crisps either, in order to avoid paying an extra tax. However, they lost this case in 2009 and eventually sold the Pringles brand to Kellogg's a few years later.