Packaging, packaging, PACKAGING! Ugh, it gets on our nerves so much when companies use far too much packaging for their products. ‘Excessive’ doesn’t even cut it when you look at all the plastic, paper, and bubble wrap needed for a single tiny thing. Meanwhile, the Environment’s sitting in the corner, weeping, wondering what it did wrong to deserve this and why companies don’t change their outdated business models.
Some packaging is so horrifyingly unnecessary, it gets shamed on the r/EgregiousPackaging subreddit, a place that shows that excess is far from the positive thing that some customers are led to believe. Scroll down to see the very worst offenders and let us know in the comments what the very worst example was that you’ve seen with your own two eyes, Pandas.
When you’re done with this list, you can find more fuel for your outrage by reading these two Bored Panda articles about excessive packaging right here, as well as here.
This post may include affiliate links.
My Friend Ordered Earrings From Fabfitfun. Just Earrings
Sephora At It Again For A .05oz Concealer
Ordered Biodegradable Bamboo Toothbrushes From A Zero Waste Store - Came In 100% Non-Degradable Bubble Wrap And Plastic Bags
The r/EgregiousPackaging online community is fairly new. Founded in early 2019, it will be celebrating its 3rd birthday on January 16, 2022. In that time, the group has grown to 16.3k.
A while back, I spoke to four experts about packaging, plastic, business, and recycling. They went in-depth with Bored Panda about the reasons why companies actually focus on having more packaging than we might think is necessary, and highlighted what we as consumers can do to affect their decision-making process.
Graham Forbes, Greenpeace's Global Project Leader for the Plastic-Free-Future, told Bored Panda that companies have convinced people that they can use something once, for a few minutes, and then simply throw it away. “The problem is, we know now that there is no such thing as ‘away,’” he said.
Not Sure If This Counts, But This Is For Only Three Things At CVS
Soda Cans Are Very Fragile
[screw] Drinking Straws - This Is The Kind Of Plastic Use We Should Be Protesting
“Less than 10 percent of the plastic waste ever made has actually been recycled, with the vast majority ending up in our oceans, landfills, or incinerated—polluting communities around the globe,” Forbes, from Greenpeace, warned.
“Companies are still stuck in this outdated business model that uses unnecessary packaging and puts the onus on the consumer to clean it up. It is up to all of us to demand accountability from these companies that continue to churn out throwaway plastic. It's time to demand systems of reuse rather than polluting throwaway packaging,” he said.
Matryoshka Allergy Relief
Plastic Packaging For A Cd Disk......but Without A Cd Disk In It
Just Why?
“By utilizing reusable bottles, bags, or containers, we can start to build the systems that we want to see from large companies. Ultimately, large-scale systemic change will depend on companies like Nestle, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo changing their business models to reject throwaway plastic packaging. By rejecting throwaway culture, we can move them in a better direction quickly,” Forbes explained to Bored Panda.
Meanwhile, Kara Pochiro from the Association of Plastic Recyclers noted that “packaging often has a variety of uses that the general consumer does not realize such as protection and preservation.” In short, there are clear reasons why companies add a lot of packaging that we might find egregiously excessive. However, this doesn’t mean that we can’t change how companies operate. By changing our spending habits, we can affect the business models that corporations go for.
My Father Ordered 15 Fence Posts… Legends Tell Of A Second Truck, Out There Somewhere Going To Deliver The Last One
Individually Wrapped Jellybeans
Really Glad My Made From Recycled Materials & Biodegradable Sponges Came Wrapped Together And Individually In Plastic
“If consumers purchase products and packaging made with recycled content, this will encourage companies to use more recycled content, can boost demand for that material, and increase recycling rates,” Pochiro said.
“Consumers play a big role in the success of recycling programs. They need to recycle and buy products and packaging made with recycled content.”
Hypocrites At Sobeys Grocery Store In Halifax Ns
Chocolate Air
Chipotle's "Fruit Cup"
The CEO of Plastics for Change, Andrew Almack highlighted the fact that getting rid of plastics in packaging would require a lot of effort on the part of companies.
“Removing unnecessary plastic requires companies to redefine their supply chain. They have to do RnD while keeping in mind challenges like the visual appeal of product packaging, the durability of alternatives, sustained supply of alternatives, costing, and manufacturing,” he told Bored Panda that this may be part of the reason why some companies don’t make the switch.
An Office Supply Company Bubble-Wrapped Their Bubble Wrap
Ordered 27 Books From Amazon On A Single Order. Got 27 Boxes With 1 Book Each Delivered
Individually Wrapped Vegetables In A Vietnamese Supermarket
“It is important for customers to purchase and use products made by businesses that focus on sustainability. When people start buying from eco-friendly businesses, the demand for such goods would increase and ignite other players to cater to this trend which could be done by a simple change in current company policies,” Almack said that customers can be a force for change.
“Being more conscious about our throwaway culture is where one should surely start. Simple changes to eliminate single-use plastic go a long way: avoid gum and plasticware, reuse storage containers and use razors with replaceable blades,” Almack explained what we can do as individuals to help the environment. Every small bit of effort matters, even if it’s the large multinational companies who hold most of the power to affect change.
Really… Amazon…
Individually Packaged Slice Of Bread
Disposable Phone Chargers
A spokesperson from the Alliance to End Plastic Waste stressed the fact that plastic waste is harming our environment and that change needs to happen.
“Everyone agrees: plastic waste does not belong in our oceans, or anywhere in the environment. And despite the many benefits of plastic to health, safety, sustainability, and convenience, plastic waste has become a challenge in parts of the world because it is not managed properly,” they said in an interview with Bored Panda.
Must Have Been Out Of Envelopes
Dude you could have gone to a gas station and bought batteries Edit:I understand that some people might not be able to leave the house to get stuff so it would be better if this came in a smaller box or envelope
So I Only Get This Much Actual Cream?
It looks more like a pump bottle that has a plunger moving upwards from the bottom and a dispenser withdrawing the product. This package isn't too ergonomic as there's still plenty of product left when it doesn't have enough pressure to withdraw and also requires lots of plastic and a whole mechanism to dispense
Big Box For A Small Bottle With Only Enough Pills To Fill The Cap. Lame
“To help address the challenge in a globally coordinated and transformative way, over 40 companies around the world, from across the plastics value chain—companies that make, use, sell, process, collect and recycle plastics—have joined together with a clear mission: to help end plastic waste in the environment,” they said that some companies do focus on helping the environment. Not everyone’s a villain when it comes to packaging—some choose to be superheroes.
Just... Why?
There Was Nothing In This Box But A Card And Packing Material
If Only Shallots Had Natural Layers Of Protection From Their Environment. Thanks, Walmart And Suppliers
“The Alliance to End Plastic Waste has pledged 1.5 billion dollars over the next five years to develop, accelerate and bring to scale solutions to minimize and manage plastic waste, catalyze investment, engage communities and promote solutions including reducing, reusing, recovering, and recycling materials. Alliance efforts will be implemented in a coordinated way with support and resources from both the public and private sectors, facilitating comprehensive, meaningful, and lasting change that will help end plastic waste in the environment.”
When You Run Out Of Small Boxes At The Package Station But If You Go Get More You’re Pack Rate Percentage Will Go Into The Yellow
i think this post just explained a lot of the images on this thread...
Peeled Avocados Wrapped In Plastic
Yeah and then the government and the companies blame the customers that they create so much waste... shame on you, customer! 👹😇
I Find This Disgusting, Lazy, And So Damn Harmful To Both The Environment And The Consumer's Psyche...
Ordered 150 Washers. This Is How They Were Packaged
Buddy Bought Two Mini Cast Irons From Amazon
Not Only Is It Egregious, But It's Infuriating
I am quite sure there was a knife and a glass inside, after all it is a "Good morning KIT". And the jar of Nutella looks quite big. So this is a hoax.
I Bought A Nail File
In fairness it wouldn't be financially viable to have packaging for every possible size and depending on setup there is a minimum practical size to packaging.
For Crying Out Loud...
Hopefully 2020 Brings Less Of This
My grandmother (god rest her) used to get these. You puncture some holes into the plastic, pop it in the microwave and it steams up into a nice "baked" potato.
Because Mascara Is Fragile. Thanks Sephora!
This 0.7 Ml Dogs' Anti-Flea And Anti-Tick Drops Straight Out Of The Box
Ordered A Tube Of Thermal Paste
the deal with bigger packaging for small is that your more likely to break whats inside then small packaging for smaller items.
Tiny Little Amount Of Eyeliner In A Huge Plastic Container
It is much cheaper to buy professional cosmetics like mac and such. The prices appear higher, but they pack a lot of (high quality pigment rich) product in each item.
Hi Y'all, Im A Designer At Tic-Tac. Hope You Enjoy Our Newest Optimized Design For Tic-Tacs!
How They Sell Bananas In Japan. Bonus: If You Don't Explicitly Decline, The Cashier Will Give You Another Bag For The Banana
Technically Correct!
It is actually better, because you can move three vehicles while only driving one.
Individually-Wrapped Bread Slices
This Tea That I Got For Christmas
I'm going to stick up for this one. It's what they do (http://www.regaloteas.com/Gift-Collection.php). They're those fancy-schmancy pyramid tea bags in different flavours, so packing them together would ruin the taste. They're also packaged for gift-giving. Not a big fan, still killing the environment, but not scammers as so many others on the list are.
This Is How They Send My Contacts. Every. Year
Delivery Of 5 Screwdrivers From Digi-Key...
I can confirm that this is not Digi-Key's smallest box, so they may have had an issue on their end.
Taking It To The Proper Place
Thanks For Packaging The Spare Part, Gopro
Says a lot that they have pre packaged, fully designed not just a plain box, spare parts.
Bought A Bigger Pack Of Buenos. Only To Find Out It’s Only Two Smaller Packs Of Them. Only To Find Out They’re Then Individually Wrapped
I Received A Complimentary Bathtub With My Face Brush From Costco
Individually Wrapped Jelly Beans
this is common at restaurants. We used to have a tradition here where restaurants had a sweet ("Candy") bowl at the exit for you to help yourself. Our health department did a study and found they were infested with urine from men who do not practice basic hygiene in the bathroom. So they made a law that if you have a sweet bowl, each sweet has to be individually wrapped. Fortuantely, most restauarnts do not do this anymore, but they still give you individually wrapped sweets with the bill ("check"). Still daft, but not as bad.
I Think Amazon Is Running Out Of Boxes...
Guess Whole Foods Thought They Could Improve Upon The Corn Husk
Individually Shrink Wrapped Apples
Individually Wrapped Peppers
Thanks, Respro, For Safely Delivering My... Bandana
Why Would You Even Do That
Amazon Packs My $300 Ssd In A Non-Padded Bag. My Weed Dude On The Other Hand...
All This To Ship That Small Little Plastic Bag On The Right
My Workplace Has Four-Packs Of Tic-Tacs In The Snack Drawer
I Work At A Starbucks Inside Target. These Are The Packages We Receive For Signage Updates- The Smaller Ones On The Bottom Are All We Actually Needed
First Time Seeing This For Myself. Can’t Believe People Out There Really Thought This Was A Good Idea
Not sure what those are, but I don't want them breeding with anything else.
Old Insurance Only Covered My Birth Control If I Went Through Mail-Order. Switching Back To Pick UPS With My New Insurance Was The Best Feeling. Product Is The Small Blue-Ish Thing Center Bottom
I’m Glad There’s Not Filler But Our Cat’s Medicine Arrived In A Comically Large Box
All Of This For A Keyboard, That For Some Reason Shipped Separately From The Laptop
Isn’t a keyboard attached to the laptop? Why would you need another keyboard?
Anyone Else Feel Like Our Packaging Is Wasteful For A Lot Of Our Products?
Why Is There So Much Packaging For A Single Claritin? Isn't This Wasteful?
The Place I Work At Just Got Individually Wrapped Packages Of Individually Wrapped M&m’s
It's The Only Way To Ship A Yardstick
Why are you buying stuff online that's available locally? Every hardware store carries yardsticks, and they're cheap.
Would You Look At That
Well, This Is A First For Me
Plastic Waste. Ordered 100 Sump Plug Washers And They All Came Individually Bagged In Bags That Are Far Bigger Than Is Necessary
We Ordered 3 Mio Drink Flavors, They Came In 3 Packages Like This
I’m Here Trying To Be Better For The Earth, But These Vegan Patties Have This Egregious Plastic Tray
Sliced Onion In Plastic Packaging
Was Told To Cross Post This Here. Single Serving Ritz Found In One Of My Office’s Kitchen Cabinets
Ordered 5 Bottles Of Hair Spray At The Same Time. Came In 5 Separate Boxes On The Same Day All With It's Own Wrapping
Probably Been Posted, I'm New But This Packaging On What Is Normally Sold Loose
Not Only Do I Have To Open A Single Packet Everyday For My Meds, But They Know I Have A Disability Where My Joints Dislocate Very Easily...
I'm not sure I fully understand this one. Is each blister pack a single day's medication? This looks like how nearly all medications are shipped - how is this extraneous packaging? The extra space between pills, designed to be easier to handle for people with mobility issues? Also, the manufacturers don't know you have a condition - your GP and pharmacist might.
Three Layers...
This Is Saddening
The Hotel I’m Staying At Has Individual Plastic Packaging For Each Plastic Cup
For people saying individually wrapped fruit and veg is "safer" during COVID times, just wash the damned fruit/veg before you eat it! Problem solved!
After watching 'ice cream Girl' I will not buy anything unless it's totally sealed. People are disgusting.
Load More Replies...I had to stop at #30 because I got so angry. Some of these are unavoidable (postal orders) but a lot can be avoided by not buying this and if necessary being a Karen (I know I know) and complaining. It's the only way. Oh and if it comes in too much plastic you can return it with a note ...
Some of these could be avoided if people would support their town by buying locally.
Load More Replies...The waste of most of these is so shameful, I couldn't keep going. There are some that have reasons. Sometimes hygiene requires items in public places to be individually wrapped. Also, because of the way Amazon loads their vans, they have to have a box big enough that it will load properly with the other boxes. However, I see no reason why they couldn't have a rack with envelope type packages in the van so they could just post the items through the door, instead of having boxes.
For people saying individually wrapped fruit and veg is "safer" during COVID times, just wash the damned fruit/veg before you eat it! Problem solved!
After watching 'ice cream Girl' I will not buy anything unless it's totally sealed. People are disgusting.
Load More Replies...I had to stop at #30 because I got so angry. Some of these are unavoidable (postal orders) but a lot can be avoided by not buying this and if necessary being a Karen (I know I know) and complaining. It's the only way. Oh and if it comes in too much plastic you can return it with a note ...
Some of these could be avoided if people would support their town by buying locally.
Load More Replies...The waste of most of these is so shameful, I couldn't keep going. There are some that have reasons. Sometimes hygiene requires items in public places to be individually wrapped. Also, because of the way Amazon loads their vans, they have to have a box big enough that it will load properly with the other boxes. However, I see no reason why they couldn't have a rack with envelope type packages in the van so they could just post the items through the door, instead of having boxes.