The Fine Line Between the Perfect Package and Excessive Packaging

Perfect Package vs Excessive Packaging

The feeling is all too familiar, you purchase that USB drive, light bulb, or book online and when the package arrives, it’s big enough to house a plasma TV. Excessive packaging has become an epidemic for both online shoppers and retail consumers.

So why the over packaging? Is it convenience over doing the right thing? Do companies care more about outdoing their competitors than saving the planet? Do fulfillment vendors prefer to stock standard-sized boxes over-optimizing customized solutions for an actual item?

There’s a big difference between protecting a product and marketing a brand. Most companies struggle to find their balance of product protection and being environmentally responsible, all while still creating packages that have mass appeal. So where does that leave us, the consumer? Consumers actually have a lot more say when it comes to excessive packaging than we think. Here are a few tips to do your share in the fight against over packaging.

Make the smart choice – when considering purchasing a product, take some time to evaluate different brands and their packaging. Does one brand have less packaging than the other? Try selecting products that have less packaging than their competitors. It may not seem like much, but every bit counts!

Speak up and demand change – customer feedback is a powerful thing, especially in a world where social media gives you direct access within a company. An email, letter, blog post or phone call can speak volumes when addressing excessive packaging concerns. Websites such as The Consumerist and Overpackaging have dedicated pages where consumers can submit photos and publicly share their outrageous over packaged products. Sites like these help to shame and publicly put the pressure on guilty companies to make a change.

Shop smart – buy in bulk. Bulk items typically require less packaging materials. Not only will you save money buying in bulk, but you will also help cut out some of the extra packaging that comes with single, individual packaged products.

Recycle, Recycle, Recycle! – When avoiding unnecessary packaging isn’t an option, do your best to dispose of the materials correctly. Learn simple recycling tips and find recycling centers located near you by visiting sites such as Recyclenow and Eartheasy. You could also try reusing items such as boxes and bubble wrap that may come in handy later on.

Excessive packaging continues to make a huge impact on our landfills. Unnecessary packaging waste is becoming the norm. It is an increasing issue that will continue to get worse unless we collectively take action. At EPE, packaging design concepts that use just the right amount of packaging to protect your product is our daily initiative. We have designed bulk pack solutions for Fortune 500 companies that have cut down excessive packaging by more than 50%. Learn more about our innovative packaging solutions that use NO MORE packaging material than what is needed, NO LESS than what is required to protect your product, and NO WASTE contributed to our landfills. Do your part by following these simple tips and help EPE spread the movement to save the planet, one package at a time!