A Dollar Tree shopper says a frozen vegetable fried rice meal looked nothing like the product pictured on its packaging, accusing the retailer and one of its suppliers of “false advertising.” In a TikTok video, creator Tim Campbell compares the prepared meal with the image on the box, arguing that the differences unfairly affect people who rely on affordable groceries. Throughout the video, Tim holds the prepared meal beside the package, pointing to what he says are several noticeable differences. He points to a bowl that appears to consist mostly of brown rice with only a few vegetables, while also claiming carrots and red bell peppers listed among the ingredients weren’t visible in his serving. He argues the packaging depicts a much more substantial meal than the one he prepared. The video was posted as part of Tim’s Dollar Store Dinners series, a documentary photography project exploring how people living on low incomes stretch their grocery budgets. A third-year Bachelor of Social Work student, Tim says the project is inspired by his own childhood, when his mother relied on dollar stores and food banks to help put food on the table. Shopper says packaging doesn’t match what’s inside The video opens with Tim directly addressing Dollar Tree and Regal Kitchen Foods USA LLC, the manufacturer listed on the packaging. “Dear Dollar Tree, why do you hate poor people?” he says. “Regal Kitchen Foods USA LLC, you too. Why do you hate poor people?” Tim says he originally intended to photograph the frozen meal as another entry in the series before deciding the packaging itself deserved attention. “This is mainly brown rice,” he says. “There are some peas that are like the palest green you’ve ever seen. There’s a couple pieces of corn and nothing else in here.” @timcampbellsms @Dollar Tree can you explain this food? I am a social work student who on a project is using arts to communicate social justice issues like food insecurity, and it’s pretty insulting when packaged food looks one way but what comes out of the package is different in how little it offers from the package. This is an injustice against people who would rely on this food. #socialworkstudent #socialwork ♬ original sound – TimCampbellSMS He then compares the bowl with the image printed on the front of the package, arguing that the promotional photo depicts a much more colorful and vegetable-filled meal than the one he prepared. The comparison echoes other cases of food packaging that appears more appealing than the product inside. As a photographer, he says the difference caught his attention. “I’m a photographer, and let me tell you, it would take some wishful thinking to edit even this rice to make it look this orange,” he says. He then points to the ingredient list, saying carrots and red bell peppers are listed even though he says neither ingredient appeared in his serving. For Tim, the issue goes beyond whether the meal looks appetizing. He argues that shoppers who depend on low-cost frozen meals deserve packaging that accurately reflects what they’re purchasing. “I think my biggest concern for this is that it strips people who would have to be buying this—it strips dignity away,” he says. “It’s false advertising.” Tim isn’t the first person to question whether promotional images accurately reflect what customers ultimately receive. Tim also suggests companies may face fewer complaints because many of the people purchasing these products are focused on stretching their grocery budgets rather than contacting manufacturers. “It’s also kind of exploitative because who’s actually… are low-income people going to complain? Are they the ones who are going to actually contact the company? No, probably not.” Tim says he’ll still photograph the meal as part of Dollar Store Dinners, but he also wants to document what he sees as misleading packaging. Pointing to the package, he argues that it gives shoppers hope they’re buying a colorful, vegetable-filled meal before the final product falls short of those expectations. “This gives them hope,” he says. “Look how interesting it looks. Look how nutritionally dense it is… And this is the final product.” He ends the video with a message to both companies. “Shame on Dollar Tree for carrying this and Regal Kitchen Foods USA for producing this,” he says. “Do better.”