He may just be astroturfing for Powerex. But the visual of the D battery cracked open is still pretty ridiculous. Besides, I think it could feasibly make sens

He may just be astroturfing for Powerex. But the visual of the D battery cracked open is still pretty ridiculous. Besides, I think it could feasibly make sense for Energizer to pull this trick. First off, you don't know how good a battery is until you buy it; some consumers may never find out for sure if they were ripped off. So it's an experience/credence good. As such people may depend on the brand and price to find out if it's a smart buy. Some products have planned obsolescence. They can be more disposable than advertised. But if the consumer is loyal to the brand, he may keep buying the product.