Packaging Probe

Maple Leaf Ready Crisp Bacon

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:33:00 +0000

I won't lie, I am a huge fan of cured meats. Not only that, but bacon is probably one of my favourite things in the world. However, when I stumbled upon this Maple Leaf Ready Crisp Bacon the other day, I almost threw a fit. In theory, the product is great - bacon gets to be quite sloppy when you cook it, between having grease splatter all over the place, having your clothes smelling like bacon (some would argue that is not a bad thing), and having to refrigerate the bacon grease so it can be disposed of properly. However, the packaging for this product certainly got me riled up. It is vacuum packed, cooked bacon, with a thick cardboard box on the outside.

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: The product was not in the refrigerated aisle, so I assume that it was for easy storage on a shelf in the store and for visibility. Overall, it was not functional- there was a window at the back that would let air/germs come in and not keep the product fresh.

Alternative considerations: Maple Leaf should get rid of the box and instead have a resealable plastic bag that has a hole for hanging on a peg. I think they already have this for larger sizes, but it baffles me why they wouldn't do this for their smaller product.

Consumer Hotline:
1-800-268-3708

Snail Mail:
Maple Leaf Consumer Foods
PO Box 5091, Burlington, Ontario, L7R 4R3

Ipod at Target

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:59:00 +0000

Tim Haley kindly sent in this picture of Ipod packaging at Target. Apple, with its wonderfully innovative design, has been a laggard in integrating sustainability into its products versus its other competitors (perhaps the start of this, however, may be the new MacBook). The amount of packaging for a tiny Ipod and a gift card is atrocious.

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: Theft prevention, shelf presence.

Alternative considerations: Packaging shown above is not particularly functional to the end consumer. Why not put the product in a reusable, transparent security case that is either provided by Target, or designed in such a way that it is a protective case for the consumer? Either that, or partner with one of Apple's accessory companies, i.e. Belkin - and provide something of value to them?

To contact Apple, go here:

Apple Store (Consumer) (800) MY-APPLE (800-692-7753)
U.S. iPod and Mac technical support: 1-800-APL-CARE (1-800-275-2273)
Canada technical support: 1-800-263-3394

Logitech Mice

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:26:00 +0000

I started a new job on Monday and as part of this job I got a new computer with a new mouse. I was appalled at how much packaging came with this particular mouse, and I don't think that it's an isolated incident. Now, a mouse is about 2.5 inches by 6 inches by 2 inches, and this package was about 6-8 times the size of it. On the outside was a cardboard sleeve, then there was a moulded polystyrene tray, with a PET cover on top of it where the mouse was hidden along with a manual at the back.

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: To prevent theft, protect the product inside, ease of use for merchandising, and to have a "window" for the product to be seen in the store.

Alternative considerations: Logitech could have just had a singular PET 1 box and perhaps a cardboard insert with instructions on how to use the mouse. There is no need for the polystyrene tray nor the cardboard box.

To let Logitech know, send them an email here.

Alternatively, they can be contacted here:

+1 866-934-5644
Monday - Friday: 6am - 6pm PST

Americas Headquarters
6505 Kaiser Dr.
Fremont, CA 94555 USA
+1 510-795-8500
Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm PST

Top Dogs Singles

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 03:52:00 +0000

An inevitable part of the average summer BBQ involves hot dogs. One particular weekend this summer, the hot dogs pictured above were brought to a BBQ that I was at. Individually packaged hot dogs! I had never seen anything like it. Previously, I had seen hot dogs in packages of 12 or 24 packaged together, but I was a bit alarmed to see this. Particularly since we had to go through the hassle of individually unwrapping each one in order to put them on the BBQ! The instructions on the box mentioned that you just toss the hot dog, wrapper and all, into the microwave and just heat. Or of course, boil, fry or BBQ without the wrapper.

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: To keep the hot dogs sanitary and fresh; convenience for people who want to bring just one hot dog on the go. Based on an analysis of other Top Dogs sub-brand products, this is usually intended for a younger, school-age audience.

Alternative considerations: To be perfectly frank (no pun intended....maybe.) I can't picture someone bringing a hot dog to go, in general. Actually, in all the situations, it doesn't make sense. At schools, kids either have a cafeteria with pre-made food, or you bring something cold like a sandwich - I don't recall ever having a microwave to heat things up with. In an office setting, do people actually bring a single hot dog for lunch and heat it in the microwave?

However, if I was to make a recommendation for single serve hot dogs, I would challenge Maple Leaf to come up with a unique reusable wiener container, perhaps collectible that is microwavable, perhaps as an on-pack bonus on large packages of hot dogs (does anyone remember the Oscar Meyer wienermobile?). This is good for brand equity, creates excitement among kids, and would reduce overall waste.

Maple Leaf is likely in a crisis situation right now because the listeriosis outbreak, however they can be contacted here:

Consumer Hotline:
1-800-268-3708

Snail Mail:
Maple Leaf Consumer Foods
PO Box 5091, Burlington, Ontario, L7R 4R3

Shoeboxes

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:55:00 +0000

The other day, when I was on the market for a new pair of walking shoes, I noticed something. Shoes are a classic case of overpackaging! The box and tissue paper are used excessively. It is one thing if people actually keep all their shoeboxes and use it as a storage container, but if not, I can only imagine all the trees and organochlorines used to bleach the paper to make the boxes and paper.

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: To protect the shoes, to make it easy to find shoes in a back room, to make it easy to ship and organize shoes.

Alternative considerations: I have several:

1) Shipping shoes in boxes adds a lot of volume and weight - why not ship them in cloth bags?
2) If a box must be kept, making sure that it's made out of post-consumer waste recycled paper - I am certain that consumer would not mind if their tissue paper or shoeboxes were brown instead of glistening white.
3) Merchandising shoes on hooks for self-serve purposes such as with flipflops, and adding shoe sizes in large, bold numbers on the heel section of the insole.
4) Again if the box must be kept, adding handles to the box so it can be transported out of the store without a bag.

Contact the head offices of your favourite shoe companies and make these suggestions.

Blister pack chewing gum

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:23:00 +0000

One thing that most people carry around with them is gum - a whole multitude of brands exist - Juicy Fruit, Trident, Excel, Orbit, Eclipse, Airwaves, Dentyne, DoubleMint....the list could go on forever! Whether it is for freshening your breath or whitening your teeth, most gum comes in a standard issue plastic and aluminum blister pack covered with a cardboard sleeve. However, upon further evaluation, this is an extremely difficult thing to dispose of, and aluminum is an extremely valuable commodity to be throwing away.

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: I suspect that the blister pack is to keep the gum safe, away from the elements (for example, moisture), and portion controlled. The cardboard sleeve is to convey the brand image, to give the gum an easily packed shape in trays, as well as to protect the blister pack.

Alternative considerations: When I was in Hong Kong, I noticed that they sold Wrigley's Airwaves in resealable plastic packets. No aluminum or cardboard needed. Perhaps Wrigley and other gum manufacturers may want to phase that in across their gum brands? It accommodates the protection, it conveys the brand image, it fits in a purse or pocket, and it uses less valuable materials. Similarly, gum is also great in that old school fashion of being wrapped in paper.

Make some constructive suggestions to some of the biggest gum manufacturers:

Wrigley can be contacted by email here or by snail mail here:

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company
P.O. BOX 3900
Peoria, IL 61614
1 800 WRIGLEY (U.S. and Canada consumers only)

Cadbury Adams global can be contacted online here or via the Trident website here.

Olay Definity Products

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:33:00 +0000

While I was in the same moisturizer aisle, I of course also noticed Olay's new line of anti-aging products for older women, Olay Definity. Olay used to be a cream for old ladies (do you remember that "I was your teacher!" Miss Fitzhenry commercial? Loved it. And the slogan "Oil of Olay, Twice a Day"?), and in the span of a few years, it was transformed into the world's number one skincare brand. Pretty amazing stuff!

However, I was taking a look at this particular line of products. The dispensers are of course, like many others, made of mixed materials, but this wasn't the worst part. The outer container was made of a thick and heavy plastic, as well as slanted on the top so it could not even be stacked! Blasphemy from a waste and retailer standpoint! There was also a lot of empty space inside. Expensive for shipping.

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: I believe this is all for differentiation. P&G has used cardboard previously to protect its skincare products without any sort of negative repercussion. I could not find a resin identification code on the package and it looked to be made of two different kinds of plastic - very hard to recycle.

Alternative considerations: Return to cardboard usage, if an outer pack is needed. Use a cube shape to cause less headaches for retailers. Cubes can be differentiated too!

These are the Definity Products in round plastic cases:

Olay Definity Intense Hydrating Cream
Olay Definity Refining Lotion with UV Protection
Olay Definity Deep Penetrating Foaming Moisturizer
Olay Definity Night Restorative Sleep Cream
Olay Definity Reenrgizing Serum

Let Procter & Gamble know about their wasteful packaging - they are planning to get into more sustainable products and this will help them in their mission!

Procter & Gamble:
1 800 879 8433
Web: http://pg.custhelp.com

Olay:
1-800-285-5170
Web: http://olay.custhelp.com

Tassimo, Tassimo Pods

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:45:00 +0000

While at my cousin's house the other day, I noticed that he had purchased a Tassimo machine. Now, these fancy contraptions are for those people who are time-starved, and only want to make one perfect cup of a beverage, whether it is coffee or tea. Holy waste, batman! Making a perfect cup involves pouring in water into the machine, as well as placing a coffee/tea disc (there are options for organic and fair trade coffees and teas) into the machine and your "one perfect cup" is made. However, the coffee/tea disc is made of plastic as well as containing a layer of foil on top - and there is no possibility to recycle these discs.

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: For the pods, likely it is convenience, the nicety of having a gadget, and keeping the tea or coffee "fresh". There is a certain futuristic Jetsons feel to it also.

Alternative considerations: Whatever happened to just boiling a bit of water in a kettle and just using a conventional tea bag, or even instant coffee?

The Tassimo discs are made by Kraft, contact Tassimo here:

Email Tassimo US here.
Email Tassimo Canadahere
Call Tassimo US and Canada here, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 1-877-TDISCS1 (1-877-834-7271)

L'Oreal Skin Genesis products

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:26:00 +0000

I was walking through the moisturizer aisle at the drug store and could not help but notice how ridiculously packaged these products were. Now of course, being in the beauty aisle, it is important that products are unique and beautiful. However, this all came at the cost of the containers being made of all sorts of mixed materials - plastic, glass, metal - impossible to recycle without taking them apart.

One of these lines were the L'Oreal Skin Genesis line of products. L'Oreal has for long as I can remember, been at the forefront of innovative skincare, product design, and aesthetics, but their packaging leaves me a bit concerned. The products had a box that was too large for the product, and the actual bottle for the moisturizers were made of many types of materials.

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: For the most part, I think the gist of this package was for beauty. The box is phenomenally large compared to the bottle, which is also very wasteful - but I think it was to showcase the package.

Alternative considerations: Consider using only one material. Glass for example. Reduce the package to half the size, which a retailer can use to shelve more of your products, or other's products.

To talk to L'Oreal about this packaging:

United States:

Here

Canada:

L'Oréal Paris
1500, University Street, suite 600
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 3S7
Phone: 1-888-4-LOREAL

France:

here

World of Warcraft Pre-Paid Cards

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:42:00 +0000

From the world of gaming, Chris Johnson sent a Packaging Probe worthy product. He states:

Hi,

I finally got around to photographing the World of Warcraft pre-paid cards and the box they come in. Yes, *box*. The cards are creditcard-sized and the box typically contains a bit of a cardboard liner for strength and *maybe* a tiny catalogue of other Blizzard products, and the card. And air, lots of air.

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: Gift, prepaid, or credit cards typically do not have much of a presence visually and size-wise. I am assuming this is why the box was added. It appears also that the box was added to hold other information inside.

Alternative considerations: Overall, there is no need to have such a large box. A gift card typically does not break (nor will it break down for thousands of years). Activision/Blizzard could put the card in a sleeve that has the other information printed on it. They could also think about substituting the plastic card with a cardboard card.

World of Warcraft and its prepaid cards are made by the Vivendi Universal subsidiary, Activision/Blizzard. You can contact them here:

Activision/Blizzard
3100 Ocean Park Boulevard
Santa Monica
California 90405
USA
Tel. : +1 310 255 2000

hydraSense Nasal Spray

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:03:00 +0000

As a person with chronic sinus allergies, one of the things that has been a genuine godsend to me is this saline sea water spray called hydraSense. Essentially, how the product works is that it is filled with this imported French seawater, you spray it up your nostril, and the gunk gets out of your nose and sinuses, reducing the need for medication. While the thereapeutic benefits are great, the packaging is not so great in terms of recylability. First of all, the bottle is made with a #2 plastic, High Density Polyethylene, which is great, however, the water inside the container is contained within a PET sleeve in a rubber jacket (scroll to the bottom of this page for more info.) which makes recycling extremely difficult. The bottle is contained in a cardboard box that has an extra nozzle as well as instructions on usage. To add to that, the carbon footprint of shipping French seawater to spray up your nostril is a bit excessive.

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: I believe that this has been done for sterility, safety and easy stacking at the store.

Alternative considerations: Schering-Plough could get rid of the cardboard box and instructions, and instead, print the information on the actual bottle label. Secondly, instead of having two caps - both the spray nozzle and the cap for the bottle, they could just have a larger HDPE cap to keep everything sterile. Another consumer option comes from Oprah in one of her episodes on "nose bidets". An alternative that has long been used in India has been the neti-pot, which you can make your own saline water to put in your nose using tap water. It costs as much as 1 or 1.5 hydraSense units and significantly reduces complex waste such as the kind that comes from hydraSense's packaging. I have seen them on sale here or here, however I recommend that you shop around.

To let Schering-Plough that you are not happy about their packaging, please contact them at the following place:

Schering-Plough Canada Inc.
16750, route Transcanadienne
Kirkland QC H9H 4M7

514-426-7300
1 800-361-2353

Dear Body Shop: take your $@(!!* packages back.

noreply@blogger.com (em) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:39:00 +0000

At it's inception, the Body Shop was a hugely progressive company with impressive policies regarding fair trade and environmental issues. Over the past decade, however, it seems as though the company (now a fully-owned subsidiary of L'Oreal) has moved away from some of these founding philosophies.

At first, the store doesn't seem that much different from when it shilled those neon coloured "endangered species" shirts back in the 1990's (of which I was the proud owner of three). Many of the products still appear to be community traded. In fact, this naieve belief that the Body Shop is somehow morally "superior" to other cosmetic companies is a big reason why I shop there. If I can't help being vain, at least I feel a little bit better knowing that the ingredients for my lipstick were sourced fairly.

To that end, I suppose I expect the Body Shop to TRULY be more progressive than other companies out there. I was, therefore, rather disappointed when I recently inquired whether my empty bronzer container could be returned to the store. "No, I'm afraid we don't take the packaging back" the sales associate advised me, looking rather mystified at the empty compact I presented to her. I admit I was rather stunned. I had almost taken for granted that the store, which lists "protect our planet" as one of its core values, would have figured out recycling program for its own bloody containers. It makes me wonder: how can ANY company that truly considers itself to be "green" not have the option of returnable containers?

On the flip side of the coin - mad props to Mac Cosmetics for having a cool policy in effect: bring back six containers, and get a free lipstick in return! http://www.maccosmetics.com/customerservice/cs_services.tmpl. So it seems, returning packaging to the source can be possible.

UPDATE (06/30/08): Soon after I published this post, I got to thinking - perhaps the sales associate I spoke was just misguided. A nervous trainee, perhaps. So I called the Body Shop to make sure I had my facts straight. Turns out the information was correct; they don't accept their primary packaging back.

Give 'em a call yourself at 1.800.387.4592 to let them know your definition of "profit with principles" includes accepting responsibility for packaging waste.

Excessive Shipping Packaging - Dell and Amazon

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:17:00 +0000

Chris J sent me the following link that showed the packaging that a USB key came in from Dell. I have also encountered the same problem from Amazon. A really large box for a small product - tons of paper inside to cushion the product.

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: I believe that the companies are used to shipping larger items and don't have so many configurations of boxes. They do not want to ship a product that could be broken, so use lots of paper to cushion the product.

Alternative considerations: Offer smaller boxes! They could save on shipping costs. Try shipping things in kraft paper envelopes.

Contact Dell by email here or via phone at 1-800-624-9897.

Contact Amazon by filling out this email form.

Secret Clinical Strength

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:48:00 +0000

Today, I was at the pharmacy and I noticed this product on the shelf: Secret Clinical Strength. First of all, there were a couple elements about this product that I found strange.

a) First, it was $8!!!! That sounded like a trading up scheme to me.
b) Second, it was packaged in a box, while normal deodorant plastic containers are sufficient enough to protect the contents.
c) The claims on the point of purchase material did not seem to differ so much from conventional deodorant:

- Clinically proven, prescription-strength wetness protection
- Odor-fighting capsules that absorb odor (and release scent) all day to keep you smelling clean and fresh
- Skin-soothing conditioners

You're paying a 100% premium for "capsules"? After looking at it, I simply felt insulted that they would even put such a product on the market.

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: I believe that the box is there to create a look of differentiation on the shelf from other deodorant products, which are typically just a stick in a plastic container. Similarly, I believe it is to create a premium "look" to the product.

Alternative considerations: Get rid of the box and save a couple trees. Change the label instead! A product that really is "clinical strength" or that works above and beyond that of its competition does not need a box to hide in.

Procter & Gamble:
1 800 879 8433
Web: http://pg.custhelp.com

Razor blade packaging

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 04:04:00 +0000

Although it doesn't seem like it, summer is coming up soon, and society kind of frowns upon women who have Sasquatch type legs. While I was in the razor section of the drugstore the other day, I couldn't help but realize how grossly overpackaged razors are. The above, Gillette Venus, is just an example - the package is about 4 times the size of its contents, and I did a bit more research and found out the plastic package is made out of PVC, the most toxic plastic you can find. Oy!

The Gillette Venus is not the only offender. Other examples include:

Gillette Fusion (5 blades!?)
Gillette M3Power
Gillette M3Power Nitro
Gillette Mach 3
Schick Quattro
Schick Quattro for Women
Schick Intuition

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: A number of reasons - first is aesthetics and marketing - razors were a commodity item that used to be purchased in cardboard boxes. Now they seem to be accompanied by splashy advertising (and splashy packaging to boot) and need to have that presence on shelf. Second, is theft - I hear razors are a favourite to steal - not sure about the actual razor, but I heard that razor blades are definitely stolen often and it is the reason why when you purchase refill blades, they are behind a plastic case with an alarm system. The rigid plastic container likely makes it hard to remove the razor blades from the package.

Alternative considerations: First, replace the plastic with perhaps a #1 or #2 plastic that is less toxic. Reduce the package size a bit and double face them. There is so much that can be done that is much less harmful!

The two big offenders of these razors are Schick and Procter & Gamble:

Schick:
Schick Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box 537, Neenah, WI 54957
Phone: 1.800.SHAVERS (1.800.742.8377)
Web:
http://www.shaving.com/feedback.asp

Procter & Gamble:
1 800 879 8433
Web: http://pggillette.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/pggillette.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php

GE Personal Security Alarm

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 17:17:00 +0000

I received this GE Personal Security Alarm from my boyfriend. How it works is, when you remove the pin from it, the alarm goes off. And, it has a guide light. To be sure, this was a very thoughtful gift for all my travels. However, I was concerned by all its packaging! The package is about 4 times the size of the actual product and its instructions. There is additional plastic jutting out along the top where it says "Personal Security Alarm" but with nothing in it, adding volume and waste. Instructions are crushed into the bottom under the actual alarm.

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: The product is small, so there needs to be a presence on shelf. The clamshell package is probably so that you can't steal the item from the store. Similarly, it is transparent so consumers can see what it looks like and the rigid plastic is such that it is protected. The top part that juts out is probably for aesthetics and so that the products line up neatly on a peg.

Alternative considerations: Even though extra volume is placed at the top of the package so the alarms lines up nicely on the peg, the depth for the peghole is so large that it would present a challenge in stringing it on to the actual peg. Reducing the size of the package or alternatively, using recycled cardboard and covering just the alarm with plastic would reduce the amount of plastic used and prevent theft. This could also be one where retailers could consider using security cases for this product.

UPC: 043180452269

Headquarters:

Jasco Products Company
311 N.W. 122nd Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73114 US
Toll-Free Phone: 800.654.8483 Option 3
Local Phone: 405.752.0710
Local Fax: 405.752.9311

Or online here.

Maxalt Melt

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:22:00 +0000

The above product, Maxalt Melt, is a drug manufactured by Merck, to treat migraines and comes courtesy of Adrian Bailey. Now, I have to agree with him that the product is RIDICULOUSLY packaged. He says:

"Each tablet is individually foil wrapped, put in its own sachet, enclosed with another two sachets in a blue plastic box, and two boxes are put in a carton."

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: I see all this packaging for the purpose of convenience and safety. Surely, an aluminum blister pack is sufficient to keep a product away from oxygen or away from water. But a sachet too? I would assume that the blue box is to keep the product protected in your purse - but if the product is already in a blister pack and a sachet, surely you don't need the blue box. At this point, I would think that it becomes a pain for the patient to get to the actual drug.

Alternative considerations: Get rid of the blue box and the sachet. Place all the tablets into a blister pack sheet of 6 or 12 with perforated edges and place into a box. Because this is a behind the counter item, how the box looks is not important.

The product is manufactured by Merck. To give them some feedback about this product, see below:

Headquarters:
Merck & Co., Inc.
One Merck Drive
P.O. Box 100
Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889-0100 USA
Phone: 908-423-1000
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM ET

Local contacts for your particular country can be found here.

body wash

noreply@blogger.com (em) — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 18:58:00 +0000

When I was growing up, my family always used bars of soap in the shower. Although I was never ovely keen on the smell of Ivory, it always seemed to do a fine job at scrubbing off the various types of grime and dirt I managed to accumulate during my childhood adventures.

Then, the little bath pouff came along. During the mid-1990's I managed to accumulate a large array of them in a wide variety of colours and sizes, usually bequeathed by distant relatives as an alternative to bath salts or Russell Stover chocolates. And for reasons that I still have not quite ascertained, it seemed widely agreed upon that body wash was a necessary requisite for proper bath pouff use. Thus, it was during this time that body wash replaced bar soap as the preferred cleaning agent in my family's showers.

When I moved out on my own this spring, I continued to buy body wash - I didn't even think about it!

I awoke from my complacency on a recent trip to Essence of Life in Kensington Market. As I walked past their stand of bar soap (all natural, and sold WITHOUT packaging) the insanity of body wash dawned on me. Unlike bar soap, which can be sold with no or minimal packaging, body wash is sold in HDPE containers -a plastic that is derived from petroleum and NOT biodegradable.

What's more, bar soaps have evolved considerably from the the Ivory my parents bought in the early 1990's. For example, Lush makes a wonderful variety of interesting bar soaps. And, as the company states on their website: "We choose ethical sources for the ingredients in our cruelty-free products and use minimal or recyclable packaging." Sherlock Soaps takes it one step further; they use all natural ingredients in their soaps, and their packaging is fully biodegradable. And with varieties like ginger cedar and lavendar rosemary, it makes me wonder why I EVER thought that buying electric blue "Mountain Fresh" body wash in a HDPE container was a good idea.

Why did body wash ever take off?

My assumed rationale behind this amount of packaging: Frankly, the whole body wash revolution is beyond my understanding. Some sort of strange bath pouff conspiracy? I can only wonder.

Alternative considerations (i.e. "what you can do"): be part of the bar soap renaissance!

Packaging on CDs (and DVDs)

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:56:00 +0000

I have to admit, that I am a big purchaser of CDs. I love music. Thankfully, about 60% of my purchases have shifted over to ITunes, which is a bit more friendly of an option, but really, I am a sucker for liner notes.

There are two beefs I have with CD packaging. For as long as I have been purchasing CDs in Canada and sometimes in the US, the product is wrapped in a hard to open cellophane wrapper that requires the aid of a sharp object. Then on top of that, I found out that most CD jewel cases are made of polystyrene, which is hard to recycle.

My assumed rationale behind the amount of packaging: The cellophane wrapper, I believe, is to prevent the theft of the CD inside. It is also used as a way to protect the CD case? In terms of CD jewel cases being made of polystyrene, I believe this is used because it's a rigid plastic that is relatively inexpensive.

Alternative considerations: I have noticed that in the UK, CDs in stores only have a sticker at the top and bottom of the CD case to make it difficult to access by a thief, instead of being covered by a full sheath of plastic. This significantly reduces the amount of cellophane, which is not recyclable. Security cases also seem to be a feasible option instead of using the cellophane. In terms of the material that CD jewel cases are made of, companies can look into HDPE or PET plastic. Or, musicians can look into gatefold cardboard cases, which can used recycled paper.

Contact the Canadian Recording Industry of Canada:
85 Mowat Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M6K 3E3
Phone: (416) 967-7272
Fax: (416) 967-9415
Email at info@cria.ca

Contact the Recording Industry Association of America:
1025 F ST N.W., 10th Floor
Washington, D.C.
20004
Phone: (202) 775-0101
website: http://www.riaa.com/

Nestle Turtles 317g

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 21:27:00 +0000

During the December holiday season, it is an insane time for candy and chocolate in terms of giving, receiving, and consuming. From working with candy, December was the time, even beyond Halloween, when sales of candy and chocolate would be off the charts. It could make or break you for the year. This year, one of the items I was lucky to receive was a box of Nestle Turtles 317g. Many of you have probably had these before - they are pecan clusters covered in caramel, then covered in milk chocolate. To put it succinctly, they're yummy. I can recall that my first interactions with Turtles for about 20 years were that the box was a plain rectangular one with plastic trays of the Turtles. Often times, the pecans would taste stale. About 2 years ago, a new box came on to the market - it is detailed here. However, when I opened the box, I was dismayed to find that it was only about half full. To add insult to injury, the first packaged Turtle that I picked up was not hermetically sealed, leaving me a bit skeptical as to its safety. I also had not realized that the box expanded to be more easily accessed, as there was no indication anywhere on the box - it was not until I had researched the packaging online that I realized that it had this benefit.

My assumed rationale behind the amount of packaging: Nestle decided to individually wrap the Turtles for freshness, which up front, seems wasteful but appears to be less packaging than the previous tray format. The box is configured such that it is like a "candy dish". Its square front makes it more easily merchandised in a store and easy to ship like its predecessor tray package, and the Turtles are less likely to "fall out of place", as they were in the Turtles tray that would have been placed on its side. It is great too that they have been able to use cardboard, which disintegrates quickly.

Alternative considerations: The box is overall, well designed for its user and is far superior to its predecessor. However, Nestle could do well with making the box a bit smaller. Opening a box of chocolates to find that it is half empty is disappointing. This could also help in reducing shipping costs for Nestle as well as its retailers. There is no indication whether or not the box is made of recycled cardboard.

Contact Nestle:
UPC: 059800250467
by phone: 1-800 387 4636
online: https://www.nestle.ca/en/contactus/index

Always Dri-Liners

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 02:29:00 +0000

Alert: Do not read on if you are faint of heart in regards to "that time of the month".

That time of the month is already bad enough as is. Everything is upsetting. You feel like everyone is out to get you. Nothing is going right. You're crampy. You have weird cravings for poutine (at least I do.) I never thought about it until after I started Packaging Probe, but did you ever notice how much garbage comes from that time of the month? Tons. Apparently, 12 BILLION pads and tampons are disposed of each year. In addition to that mental image being a little gross, can you imagine the impact all the plastic has on the environment? I shudder to think. Although I have been too wimpy as of yet to make the switch over to The Keeper, it would do some good for tampon, maxi pad and pantiliner companies to reduce their packaging even slightly - it would save them money and reduce waste overall waste. See below for the Always Dri-Liner:

My assumed rationale behind the amount of packaging: It's in a little pouch so you can sneak it into your purse somewhat subtly and conveniently. The plastic is there to protect it from the other things in your purse.

Alternative considerations: The wax paper backing is completely unnecessary - its use in the current configuration is so it doesn't stick to the plastic (!) and provides instructions on how to use the pantiliner (!). Similarly, the plastic is not really necessary. Say you spilled something in your bag - since the pantiliner is not hermetically sealed it would get wet anyway. Similarly, the plastic wrapper for the case of "sanitary disposal" does not really apply since you are throwing it in the garbage anyway. As a result, I would recommend that Always could try having a wax paper wrapper with the "instructions" on them. As a side note: the perforated sides of Always maxi pads and pantiliners are so noisy when you open the package that you might as well yell in the bathroom "EVERYONE! I AM ON MY PERIOD!!!!!!" P&G needs to get on that design flaw also. And finally, the box that it comes in has a plastic window - is it really necessary for us to see what pantiliners look like? Save the plastic and stick with the recyclable and quickly biodegradable boxboard.

Always, via Procter & Gamble
1 800 879 8433
Email them and use UPC number 03700031349 6

Chap Stick blister packs

noreply@blogger.com (em) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 17:41:00 +0000

As a long-time Chap Stick addict, I've blazed through more tubes of the stuff than I can count.

Available in a dazzling array of flavours, there is a Chap Stick to suit my every whim. Regular flavour calms my angry windburnt lips. The mint one imparts a delightful tingling sensation. And cherry flavoured has oft-served as a handy substitute for lipstick. With no fewer than 19 Facebook groups dedicated entirely to this strange addiction, it is clear that many agree: nothing soothes dry, cracked lips like a good swipe of Chap Stick.

Given the multitude of uses Chap Stick has (not to mention the fact that I am perpetually losing the bloody stuff) I usually like to have a few tubes on hand. But what really chaps my ass (har har!!) is that the stuff is usually hawked in single-serving blister packs like the one pictured above.

My assumed rationale behind this packaging: Since a tube of Chap Stick doesn't exactly tower on the shelves (it measures only a few centimentres long and its circumference is smaller than a penny), it's understandable that the manufacturers want to give it more of a presence in the aisles by using a blister pack to effectively triple its size. Perhaps in an attempt to justify this ploy, the manufacturer has printed the product's (fairly self-evident) directions and other information on the back of the blister pack.

Alternative considerations: This is an easy one, because the solution already exists; the directions/product info can be printed directly on the tube, and a little piece of plastic that attaches the cap to its body can be used to ensure that nobody can do unseemly things with your Chap Stick prior to purchase. The tubes can then be loaded vertically into plastic dispensers so that they pop out neatly at the bottom, one at a time. These dispensers are often located at the cash desks of drug stores, so that dry-lipped customers can snap them up as they check out.

Clearly, the makers of Chap Stick can't rely entirely on impulse purchases to drive their sales. But why not install these dispensers directly into the shelves of the regular lip balm aisle?

Don't like the blister pack? Don't grab 'em from the aisle! Just wait until you go check out, and grab a tube from the dispenser that's probably tucked right beside the cash register. And if ya want to let them know how you feel, drop 'em a line:

Wyeth Consumer Health Care

P.O. Box 26609

Richmond, VA

23261-6609

Phone: 800-322-3129

Tide to Go

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 20:40:00 +0000

Tide to Go came out probably 2 or 3 years ago, and I just picked up one to go travelling. My friend Min swears by it, saying that she keeps it in her purse for emergency stain situations and it makes the stains disappear on contact! Extremely convenience oriented.

Imagine my dismay when I was in my local Wal-Mart, and picked one up, but it was COVERED in plastic. There is a paper backing behind the plastic, with instructions on how to use the product.

My assumed rationale behind the amount of packaging: To have a presence on shelf.

Alternative considerations: There is enough plastic on this package to wrap the pen about 3 or 4 times. Directions can be printed on the pen itself. The plastic containing the fluid is thick enough to survive the supply chain process without the thick plastic container. The item could also be merchandised like a pen would be, covered in a thin layer of plastic instead of a thick package. This in turn would make shipments a lot more efficient to stores and save loads of cash for many people!

Tell P&G that you think the packaging of Tide to Go is wastefully packaged:

Tide, via Procter & Gamble
1 800 879 8433
Email them and use UPC number 056100032731

Convenient tuna snacks

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 13:28:00 +0000

Convenience usually means delivering a product to a consumer in the least amount of time in the cleanest and freshest way possible. However, what this usually translates into is a whole lot of packaging waste. While in the past, so-called convenient food involved only "unhealthy" snacks like chips and milk chocolate, lately they've included a host of healthy options, such as these portable protein tuna snacks: Clover Leaf Tuna Salad (Canada), Oceans Snackits (Canada) and Starkist Lunch to Go (US). While it can be applauded that these products are offering a healthier option versus many of their convenience counterparts, most of these tuna snack products are entombed in plastic unnecessarily.

What is included in the tuna kit? On the outside is a clamshell type plastic container, a small tin can of tuna, crackers wrapped in cellophane, a spreading stick (wrapped in plastic), as well as an optional napkin.

My assumed rationale behind the amount of packaging: To keep all the components fresh - crackers should be crisp, tuna should be fresh. Crackers shouldn't be crushed. The front panel should also allow for merchandising. Everything inside should allow for convenience and should be low on cost.

Alternative considerations: Because of the small size of the serving, it is unlikely that tuna snacks would require a resealable package. (Where would one store the tuna and crackers, if they were not finished? You'd need separate containers) Therefore, the large plastic container that is resealable is unnecessary. I like the Clover Leaf package, that is a plastic tray with a cardboard top, which would biodegrade faster and creates much less plastic waste. The cardboard top also serves as the merchandising surface, while in the Oceans Snackit and Gold Seal Tuna Snacks there is a separate piece of cardboard inside the plastic container that acts as the merchandising surface. Keep in mind also, that in "convenience" situations, there aren't a lot of facilities for recycling products, so I believe the Clover Leaf package is superior. Lastly - is it necessary to cover the spreading stick in plastic?

What can you do? Leave some comments. Or, write to some of the manufacturers whose tuna kits are unnecessarily packaged:

Ocean Fisheries Ltd.
Sales and Marketing Division
13140 Rice Mill Road
Richmond BC, Canada
V6W 1A1
Phone: 604-272-2552
Fax 604-272-5933
Email: talktous@oceanfish.com

Gold Seal Head Office
Foot of Gore Avenue
Vancouver, BC
V6A 2Y7
Canada
Phone: 604.681.0211
Email: feedback@goldseal.ca

Starkist tuna in the US can be contacted here.

Tim Hortons - double cupping

noreply@blogger.com (hkm) — Sun, 13 May 2007 01:07:00 +0000

Tim Horton's is a Canadian Institution in Quick Service Food. I cannot fathom the number of sour cream glazed donuts and turkey breast sandwiches I have consumed over the years. Hot chocolate too. However, another unfortunate Canadian institution is the number of Tim Horton's cups one sees littered on the ground. Jacqueline points out that one of the reasons for this is the fact that Timmy's still double cups their hot beverages, no matter what the situation is. Dining in? Double cup. In your car? Double cup. This is both wasteful and unnecessary.

My assumed rationale behind the amount of packaging: To protect consumers from scalding/burning. Also, volume discounts on purchasing cups instead of buying separate components (i.e. sleeves, ceramic cups)

Alternative considerations: Starbucks successfully reduced waste and saved cost by instituting the usage of ceramic cups for in-house drinks. They also use recycled paper sleeves to protect consumers from scalding themselves. Tim Horton's should also push their reusable mug discount program a bit harder (you pay for a small if you bring in your own mug).

Let Tim Horton's what you think! They can be contacted via email at customer_service@timhortons.com or via phone at 1-888-601-1616. Snail mail is also feasible, at:

874 Sinclair Road
Oakville, ON L6K 2Y1
Tel: (905) 845-6511
Fax: (905) 845-0265