Packaging

1/17/2013

Packaging

I hate to continue harping about how good the old days were - but if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, it's a duck.  Things were just easier then and one example is packaging.  You didn't need an advanced degree in engineering and an arsenal of weapons (letter opener, box cutter) to open something you had bought at the store.  Scissors, for example, were sold unwrapped except for the little cardboard strap that held them on to the package.

Medicine had those nice easy to open tops (not good for children I know but we can talk about that another time) and we didn't have to remove the plastic strap thingy, remove the top (if you can) and cut open that silver covering.  We now have to do all of these things BEFORE we can even get to the medicine for which we likely paid an arm and leg for.  I understand why manufacturers of medicine have all these precautions now.  Remember the Tylenol poisoning incident in 1982?  We for sure don't want a repeat of that.

Bought a toy lately?  Benjamin's Princess Barbie that we gave him for Christmas was literally tied down with these nasty little plastic ties that, because of the mess of Christmas morning, ended up on the floor and underneath bare feet.  Ouch.  Why does Barbie have to be tied down?  Of course before we could untie poor Barbie we had to cut (literally) our way through the clamshell pack.  It's hard enough to open one of those packs but even more difficult when a child is dancing on one leg with excitement and waiting for you!  Another problem with the clamshell pack is that once you have managed to cut the plastic open, the sides are deathly sharp and will and can inflict injury.  Has the manufacturers thought about that? 

If I lived alone and thankfully I do not, I would find it hard to eat, take my medicine and/or enjoy a DVD.  Why?  Because of the packaging.  Medicine I get, but I require scissors to open up a DVD (that little plastic strip causes me grief).  And food.  Those little hints called "tear here" on food packages are sometimes a joke.  Maybe it's me and I'm not strong enough to open up a package of cheese but I could starve trying to successfully open up some food items.  I keep not one but two pair of scissors in my kitchen - for the sole purpose of opening up stuff.  And those bags of food that have a sealing device for after you have gotten inside - don't work if you have used scissors or a knife to open up the stupid package.  I have done this often and end up using binder clips or scotch tape for resealing.  Jeff is not always around to rip open everything that I need to get in to.

Jeff recently came back from traveling and said he watched an elderly couple on the plane work for a long time trying to open up a pre-packaged sandwich.  I feel their frustration.  With no accessibility to sharp objects on the plane, I guess you could resort to using your teeth to tear open your lunch.  How lovely is that?

I know that some of these precautions are for our own good - but many of them have been put in place to slow down theft and/or make it easier for the retailer (think how many things you see in stores "hanging" from a hook) to display items for sale. 

Amazon has launched a "frustration free packaging" program.  Here is an example in the difference between a regular retail package and the easy to open box from Amazon.




Amazon has 200 vendors and 70,000 products in this program.  I have bought some of Benjamin's toys with this "new" packaging and it was wonderful.  I opened up the box and out popped the toy.  So easy.  I just wish that this kind of packaging was more readily available in stores.

Have a great Thursday.

P