15 Awful Ways Companies Saved a Buck by Short-Changing Customers, Partners, and Employees
![15 Awful Ways Companies Saved a Buck by Short-Changing Customers, Partners, and Employees](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/9/0/886090_320x180.jpg)
Ah, the beauty of modern-day capitalism! We have come so far, and yet, we still have so far to go. Companies these days are all about making money, no matter the cost. But what happens when companies cross the line, when they do something that is not only unethical, but also illegal? What happens when the companies we trust to provide us with quality products and services are found to be engaging in practices that are downright wrong?
This list is a compilation of some of the most egregious examples of corporate wrong-doing in recent years. From PETA’s accusations of HelloFresh using monkey-picked coconuts from Thailand, to Idahoans demanding their large beer be, well, large, these stories will make you think twice about the companies you trust.
These stories are a reminder that, while we can trust corporations to provide us with goods and services, we must always remain vigilant. We must be aware of the potential for abuse and exploitation, and speak out when we see it. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the most outrageous corporate scandals of recent years.
Tesla: Cutting corners to go the extra mile.
![CRACKED TESLA: SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED Tesla cut corners making electric cars for China and Germany, omitting parts without telling buyers, to hit their targets. SPORT](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/3/4/885634.jpg)
Shrimp with a side of formaldehyde, anyone?
![CRACKED US SEAFOOD RESTAURANTS USE EMBALMING CHEMICALS There's been a lot of cheap, farm-raised shrimp coming in from Asia. To make sure it's clean, they put a weak form of formaldehyde on it.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/3/3/885633.jpg)
Olive Garden: When you want your pasta pre-mushed.
![CRACKED OLIVE GARDEN DOESN'T RESPECT YOUR PALATE Olive Garden has stopped adding salt to the water they use to cook their pasta, which is really important for giving it the right flavor. As a result, their pasta isn't as good as the pasta from other places.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/3/1/885631.jpg)
GSK’s ‘no warning’ policy backfired.
![CRACKED GLAXOSMITHKLINE HID ASTRONOMICAL SUICIDE RISK GSK got sued for not warning consumers of increased suicide risk with generic Paxil; evidence showed risk could go up by 670%. +](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/3/2/885632.jpg)
Jimmy John’s: Making sandwiches, and enemies.
![CRACKED JIMMY JOHN'S: NON-COMPETE AGREEMENTS Jimmy John's was sued for making low-wage workers sign a strict non-compete agreement. It would have stopped them from working at any sandwich place within 3 miles for 2 years. - Cream SEL M](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/2/1/885621.jpg)
Bad beef, bad poultry, and even worse additives.
![CRACKED BRAZIL'S MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY FED PEOPLE CARDBOARD Brazil suspended 33 officials because some meat processors sold bad beef and poultry for years, using chemicals to hide it. They even mixed potato, water and cardboard with chicken to make more money.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/2/9/885629.jpg)
SoftRAM 95: Double your crashes?
![CRACKED WINDOWS 95: CHRONIC CRASHES Windows 95 was released with a number of software products tailored to run on it, one of which was SoftRAM 95, which claimed to double memory but ended up causing crashes due to data compression issues. FLUI](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/2/2/885622.jpg)
Nvidia sued for false advertising—oops!
![CRACKED NVIDIA CAN'T RECALL ANY MEMORY ISSUES Nvidia was sued for misleading people about the GTX 970 graphics card. Reviews said it worked, but there was a memory issue.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/2/7/885627.jpg)
Wal-Mart’s ‘safety’ plan: lock up the employees.
![CRACKED WAL-MART: JANITOR PRISONS A lawsuit was filed against Wal-Mart, saying they locked their janitors in the stores while they were working. Wal-Mart defended themselves, saying it was to keep the employees safe and the stuff in the store safe.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/2/5/885625.jpg)
Cadbury: Not so sweet after all.
![CRACKED CADBURY: CHILD LABOR Mondelez International, the company behind Cadbury, was accused of using child labor in its cocoa supply chain in Ghana. It was said that kids as young as 10 were using machetes to harvest cocoa pods. Callary Dairy Milk MILK CHOCOLATE](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/2/4/885624.jpg)
7-Eleven’s actions: horrifyingly wrong.
![CRACKED 7-ELEVEN HATES ITS FRANCHISEES 7-Eleven had been underpaying workers and terminating franchise agreements without compensation, leaving franchisees with nothing. It was so bad that some considered a class action and one official called it horrifying. Fountain DRINKS hooli Fountan DRINKS Ford Coke Sprite OUBLE GULP](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/2/0/885620.jpg)
A relationship that ended in tragedy.
![CRACKED FORD AND FIRESTONE: A DEADLY COMBO Ford and Firestone had a long-term relationship that ended suddenly when Ford was accused of selling a dangerous car with Firestone tires, causing over 200 deaths.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/2/3/885623.jpg)
A single call makes all the difference?
![CRACKED COMMINSURE: THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS FAKING IT Australia's Commlnsure rejected sick and dying life insurance policy holders' claims, including that of a 37-year-old who had leukemia and 12 months to live. After reporters contacted the bank, he got a settlement.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/3/0/885630.jpg)
Idahoans demand their large beer be, well, large.
![CRACKED BOISE ARENA: BEER CHEATS Four Idaho hockey fans sued for $10K because the large beer was the same size as the regular one. - RESPONSAL 43 43](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/2/6/885626.jpg)
HelloFresh not so fresh?
![CRACKED HELLOFRESH: MONKEY LABOR PETA accused HelloFresh of using monkey-picked coconuts from Thailand, and called for a boycott of them. Monkeys were allegedly chained, whipped and beaten.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/2/8/885628.jpg)