FACT CHECK: Puregold debunks viral receipt as experts warn thermal paper fades over time

Both viral receipts supposedly came from a Puregold branch on Rizal Avenue in Pasig City, bearing the same store number, #1280, and telephone number.

This means the supposed 2002 receipt predates the opening of Puregold’s oldest Pasig branch by more than three years.

Another suspicious detail is the remarkably clear printing on the supposedly 24-year-old receipt.

Most supermarket receipts use thermal paper, which gradually loses its printed text when exposed to heat, sunlight, humidity, and other environmental conditions.

According to the National Archives of Australia, thermal printing can fade significantly within five years, even under favorable storage conditions.

While proper preservation can extend the life of thermal receipts, the unusually legible printing on the purported 2002 receipt raises further questions about its authenticity.

The image also presents an unusual VAT calculation. The six items on the 2026 receipt total ₱648, with another ₱77.76 added as 12% VAT, although the image does not establish whether the displayed prices were supposed to be VAT-inclusive.

Puregold, which began operations in 1998, has not established that the viral image was generated using artificial intelligence. Its statement, however, directly contradicts the store history suggested by the receipts.

The inconsistencies make the viral comparison unreliable as evidence of how much grocery prices have increased over the past 24 years.

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