Popular Chip Brands Ranked by the Percentage of Air in Their Bags

When shopping, there’s actually quite a bit of misleading packaging out there that you need to be careful of. When it comes to snacks, you’ve surely noticed that when you open the bag or canister of tasty chips, the packages aren’t always exactly full.

Here’s a look at several popular brands of potato chips, and how much “air” is typically in each package. The reason for this is a process called “slack fill,” which some even think makes the snacks have a better taste. By allowing this space in the packaging, the package is better protected from damage during transit, according to manufacturers.

Based on this, a bag of Cheetos has the most air at 59%. The lowest shown here would be Fritos at 19%.

This pictorial fraction chart visualization was created by Reddit user /u/doughilarious and was originally shared in the /r/DataisBeautiful Subreddit.

Click below to zoom

Here’s how they break down as far as air in the bag goes:

• Cheetos: 59% air
• Ruffles: 50% air
• Stacy’s Pita Chips: 50% air
• TERRA: 49% air
• Doritos: 48% air
• Kettle Brand: 47% air
• Cape Cod: 46% air
• Popchips: 45% air
• Lays: 41% air
• Sun Chips: 41% air
• Lays Baked: 39% air
• Tostitos Scoops: 34% air
• Pringles: 28% air
• Fritos: 19% air

By putting this extra space in the bag, chips are given a longer shelf life, moisture is kept away, and it keeps the chips whole. Keeping the moisture away is incredibly important, because it allows the snacks to stay nice and tasty until you’re ready to eat them.

The prices on these different brands can vary as well, so where are you really getting the best bang for your buck when it comes to potato chips? What do you think?