How Walmart Is Tricking You Out Of 8 Cents For Maruchan Ramen

Best friend to budget-minded consumers everywhere, instant ramen is a meal known for its affordability thanks to its relatively low production costs. Maruchan ramen is one popular brand of instant noodles that can be found just about anywhere, including at your local Walmart, a retailer with a reputation for affordability. This ramen typically comes in 12-packs or smaller single packs, with larger multi-packs often available at a lower cost when compared to the same amount of individual packages. However, one eagle-eyed consumer found that this was not the case at Walmart.

As illustrated in a TikTok clip, single packs of ramen retail for $.30 at Walmart, while 12-packs cost $3.68. According to the math, buying 12 individual packs will run you $3.60, which means you're paying $.08 more for what should be the more affordable option when purchasing the 12-pack. While $.08 isn't exactly an earth-shattering amount of money, it does call into question why Walmart would ignore the very common practice of offering slight discounts on bulk items found at most retail environments.

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Go home Walmart. You're drunk. #pricing #selling #walmart #shopping #losingmoney

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We gave you lots to chew on in our ranking of every Maruchan ramen flavor, illustrating just how many flavorful options fans of the brand's instant noodles can try. You can also go the more economical route (at most stores) and pick up a Maruchan 12-pack featuring a single flavor, which offers benefits to both the consumer and producer; buying multi-packs makes for a more convenient shopping experience, and these products also allow the manufacturer to sell more of its wares quickly. In addition to convenience, consumers are further enticed by multi-packs due to the (usually) lower cost. It's a win-win for everyone.

It should be noted that it's not exactly clear why Walmart goes against the grain and prices Maruchan 12-packs higher than its single packs. However, one commenter on the TikTok clip exposing the pricing snafu noticed the same issue with Bai drinks sold at the chain, claiming, "The six pack was about $7 and the individual bottles were only $1." Perhaps Walmart assumes shoppers won't do the math or maybe the added $.08 is considered a convenience charge. While slightly less convenient, you can add purchasing single Maruchan ramen packs to the list of the best ways to avoid overpaying at Walmart.