Companies that lie to consumers - while making a big deal of pointintg out to other companies that actually don't lie.

Rikkitic:

 

Fred99:

 

The supermarket and hardware store shelves are loaded with overpackaged product that's hard to avoid, most of it will never be recycled, and most of it could be avoided completely if there was an attitude change from consumers.

 

 

I have seen repeated claims from manufacturers that consumers demand this, but do they really? I certainly don't. I have always found excess packaging irritating and I try to avoid it as much as possible. I have never understood why most things cannot be sold from barrels like they were in the 19th century.

 

 

 

My wife worked for a research company for a few years their most valuable customers were the food industry. The retail food industry does extensive market research on what customers demand and want and they spend considerable money on it. 

Personally I did not like and will not use Bins, they are not exactly food safe.

Fred99:

 

From the CCC:

 

What can't go in your recycling bin (and needs to go in your red bin - destined for landfill)

 

No plastic film, wrap, strap, or newspaper wrap
No plastic bags other than supermarket checkout bags
No bubble wrap
No polystyrene/meat trays

 

 

 

 

 

Auckland Council specifically prohibit plastic bags in the recycling collection - supermarket or otherwise?

https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/rubbish-recycling/rubbish-recycling-collections/Pages/what-put-your-recycling.aspx

MikeB4:

 

Rikkitic:

 

Fred99:

 

The supermarket and hardware store shelves are loaded with overpackaged product that's hard to avoid, most of it will never be recycled, and most of it could be avoided completely if there was an attitude change from consumers.

 

 

I have seen repeated claims from manufacturers that consumers demand this, but do they really? I certainly don't. I have always found excess packaging irritating and I try to avoid it as much as possible. I have never understood why most things cannot be sold from barrels like they were in the 19th century.

 

 

 

 

My wife worked for a research company for a few years their most valuable customers were the food industry. The retail food industry does extensive market research on what customers demand and want and they spend considerable money on it. 

 

Personally I did not like and will not use Bins, they are not exactly food safe.

 

I'm sure that's right in terms of the industry optimising packaging to maximise profits, and basing that on accurate data.

However, what the customer demands isn't some fixed formula, they will change their preferences, and marketing will influence them - for better or for worse.  (For example, I buy fair trade certified organic coffee beans, because the marketing has convinced me that at least the "fair trade" aspect is valid and worthwhile - especially so as there's no price penalty and I like the coffee).

As for food bins / bulk foodstuffs, IMO it depends. You're probably more likely to pick up some infection from the supermarket trolley handle (361 times dirtier than a toilet door handle), a recent large food safety incident was for listeria contaminated salad leaves - and that was all packed in sealed (and apparently non-recyclable) plastic bags.
I'm happy to use those hoppers with a lever and a chute - but I'm not sure if it's achieving much, as the only bags available to fill are plastic, and according to the CCC, I can't put them in my yellow bin! Paper bags would work, but I guess as they're opaque, it's going to be a bit difficult at self-checkouts to make sure I'm not putting a kg of macadamias through as peanuts.

MikeB4:

 

Personally I did not like and will not use Bins, they are not exactly food safe.

 

This only applies to some limited products, not 99% of what is overpackaged. Most items are individually wrapped anyway, then boxed, shrink-wrapped, packaged, and whatnot. unnecessary, wasteful, and pointless.

Fred99:

 

 

 

I'm sure that's right in terms of the industry optimising packaging to maximise profits, and basing that on accurate data.

 

However, what the customer demands isn't some fixed formula, they will change their preferences, and marketing will influence them - for better or for worse.  (For example, I buy fair trade certified organic coffee beans, because the marketing has convinced me that at least the "fair trade" aspect is valid and worthwhile - especially so as there's no price penalty and I like the coffee).

 

As for food bins / bulk foodstuffs, IMO it depends. You're probably more likely to pick up some infection from the supermarket trolley handle (361 times dirtier than a toilet door handle), a recent large food safety incident was for listeria contaminated salad leaves - and that was all packed in sealed (and apparently non-recyclable) plastic bags.
I'm happy to use those hoppers with a lever and a chute - but I'm not sure if it's achieving much, as the only bags available to fill are plastic, and according to the CCC, I can't put them in my yellow bin! Paper bags would work, but I guess as they're opaque, it's going to be a bit difficult at self-checkouts to make sure I'm not putting a kg of macadamias through as peanuts.

 

yes the store shoppers change their preferences constantly and that is why it was a very lucrative account for her. The food chains and manufacturers are researching constantly. She loved the human mind and the commission it gave her. 

MikeB4:

 

Rikkitic:

 

Fred99:

 

The supermarket and hardware store shelves are loaded with overpackaged product that's hard to avoid, most of it will never be recycled, and most of it could be avoided completely if there was an attitude change from consumers.

 

 

I have seen repeated claims from manufacturers that consumers demand this, but do they really? I certainly don't. I have always found excess packaging irritating and I try to avoid it as much as possible. I have never understood why most things cannot be sold from barrels like they were in the 19th century.

 

 

 

 

My wife worked for a research company for a few years their most valuable customers were the food industry. The retail food industry does extensive market research on what customers demand and want and they spend considerable money on it. 

 

Personally I did not like and will not use Bins, they are not exactly food safe.

 

I assume we are referring to bulk bins where you shovel out loose material such as nuts into a bag and pay by weight? Strangely these often seem to come out *more* expensive than buying the same thing in a packet ???

There may be other factors such as quality or freshness. But leave food aside for the moment. What about hardware? A lot of stuff sold by Bunnings and Mitre 10 comes shrink-wrapped in packaging that has to be cut open and sometimes even that is a major hassle. A lot of that plastic is hard, thick, and almost indestructible. Surely this kind of packaging could be done without?

Item:

 

Fred99:

 

From the CCC:

 

What can't go in your recycling bin (and needs to go in your red bin - destined for landfill)

 

No plastic film, wrap, strap, or newspaper wrap
No plastic bags other than supermarket checkout bags
No bubble wrap
No polystyrene/meat trays

 

 

Auckland Council specifically prohibit plastic bags in the recycling collection - supermarket or otherwise?

 

https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/rubbish-recycling/rubbish-recycling-collections/Pages/what-put-your-recycling.aspx

 

Yes, every council is different. That's a big part of the problem. 

Rather than telling the public they should be taking their own reuseable bags, and supermarkets charging for the use of the option they have available at the checkout, why don't they totally ban the MANUFACTURE of plastics used for temporary cartage and packaging? 

Paper bags worked in the past, and they can be made with easily recyclable products (paper and cardboard). They also don't clog waterways and kill gazilions of wildlife.

I'm sure there's a way they can bring paper shopping bags back. Safer for the environment all around, surely?

Oh yes, bubble packaging is an absolute hate of mine. Hard and potentially dangerous to open, and hard to get rid of. I'm ambivalent about plastic bags as I re-use them but bubble packaging - ban it!

[edit]

Oh, and polystyrene packing - ban that too. It's a pain in the arse, apparently unrecyclable, consumes a lot of waste volume, and worst of all, so unnecessary. Many vendors now use recycled cardboard packing which is easy to flatten and recycle and looks like it would be cheap to make into pressed shapes like egg cartons for custom packing. Why wouldn't they all go this way?

What about starch?

kryptonjohn:

 

 

 

I assume we are referring to bulk bins where you shovel out loose material such as nuts into a bag and pay by weight? Strangely these often seem to come out *more* expensive than buying the same thing in a packet ???

 

 

 

Yep, never touch them because so many already have. It is the same with self service bread etc As for lettuce etc we use un-packaged lettuce (when ours own are finished), we put the outer leaves in the compost and wash the lettuce thoroughly. 

We carry sanitiser in both our cars and use it before going in shopping and when we come out. On that note we also have it at our doors at home and all visitors must use it.

Rikkitic:

 

There may be other factors such as quality or freshness. But leave food aside for the moment. What about hardware? A lot of stuff sold by Bunnings and Mitre 10 comes shrink-wrapped in packaging that has to be cut open and sometimes even that is a major hassle. A lot of that plastic is hard, thick, and almost indestructible. Surely this kind of packaging could be done without?

 

 

 

packaging in hardware stores etc aids with lessening "shrinkage" but I agree I fail to see why a screw driver needs to be packaged it that incredibly hard clear plastic.

Rikkitic:

 

What about starch?

 

Ideal. Hopefully they only cost a few cents?

Indeed, they are a fraction of a cent. What's the downside to supermarket using them?

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Eco-friendly-plastic-shopping-bag-corn_60383734596.html?spm=a2700.7724857.main07.3.40cc54c2PZvOaq&s=p

kryptonjohn:

 

I assume we are referring to bulk bins where you shovel out loose material such as nuts into a bag and pay by weight? Strangely these often seem to come out *more* expensive than buying the same thing in a packet ???

 

Yes - I've seen that too.

But there's nothing strange about it - it's how the system works, and you'll often find that the cost per kg price of common products is quite a bit higher for larger pack sizes - it's cheaper to buy 2 x 1kg packs than it is to buy 1 x 2kg pack.  Countdown print the cost per kg or unit in small print on their shelf labels.  I actually doubt that most people bother to read them - even though all the arithmetic has been done - for example when it starts to get complicated when manufacturers obfuscate by packaging in odd sizes - take a look at "refill" plastic packs of coffee vs jars - there's less in the plastic refill than the jar, and it's often cheaper per kg to buy the jar, despite the sticker price being lower for the refill.