I also do not understand the theory that novelties & gimmicks are somehow supposed to woo new plant lovers into the fold. I've seen these plants cause anger, embarrassment, disgust, frustration, ridicule, confusion, arguments, and/or feelings of having been cheated, but have noticed so very few instances of new plant lovers "caused" by novelty & gimmick plants over the yrs. Most of the people who thought their plants were genuinely really that color get upset about it, at the store that sold it, the company that provided this impostor to the store, and the person who had the fortitude to tell them it was painted or dyed.
The couple times I saw them @ the store, I was there looking for plants that I did not already have, money in pocket, eager to buy. I would have bought one of each kind without the paint but none were available, so I left with none.
At least people here seem to care and understand that these hideous things are IN THE SPOT where real/regular plants are supposed to be. Clearly the store had to choose one thing to occupy the spot since the laws of nature do not allow two objects to occupy the same space at once. Instead of trying to sell something to us, who always want to buy every plant we don't already have whenever we stop by to see what is for sale, as often as possible... somebody thought it would be more plant-profitable to try to sell those things to impulsive people who don't know they are painted, did not purposely come to the store to buy plants, and do not even have a plant budget or even consciousness that such a concept exists. Impulsive people who did not post on a forum or FB before purposely heading to the store, "I'm hoping to find a plant to buy today..." No, the plan is: To heck with THOSE people, the hopelessly addicted plant lovers. I probably have plants older than the people making these decisions but my concerns have been brushed aside as unimportant and irrelevant when I've taken the time to share them with the creators of these novelty items, even though I have consistently & purposely purchased their products for decades, and my interest has been proven to not just be a single, impulsive occurrence. Show me one person who has spent thousands of dollars on painted plants in any given year & I'll retract every word.
Not that there is anything wrong with people impulsively buying painted plants, I don't even have that thought. People buying things I don't personally like has no affect on me & more power to 'em! It's not the fault of those buying these plants that they were in the spot where something I want to buy is supposed to be.