Frito-Lay Bags Loud Bags

Recyclable packaging deemed too noisy

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Frito-Lay came up with a bag for its SunChips brand that could go in the recycle bin rather than the trash. Nice.

Only problem, though, was that the bags made such a racket when opened that consumers turned a not-so-deaf ear to the packaging, and sales, according to a USA Today article, dropped 11 percent during the past year.

But how loud could a bag be? It’s not like people took them into movie theaters.

Pretty loud, evidently. The USA Today article compared the sound to that of a lawn mower, even a jet engine, which seems like a wee bit of exaggeration. Then again, I didn’t buy a recyclable bag of SunChips, and won’t have the chance now that Frito-Lay pulled the packaging plug on all but one flavor.

Frito Lay had this to say:

Frito-Lay is committed to compostable packaging and will continue to use it on SunChips Original, one of our top selling flavors.  The other flavors will return to traditional packaging.  As part of our commitment, we are working on a next-generation sustainable SunChips bag that addresses the consumer experience and that we plan to introduce in the future.

It’s typical of people, though, isn’t it? We talk a good game about going green, saving the environment, becoming more socially and ecologically conscious … until it becomes the slightest bit of a burden. Then, it’s screw Mother Nature.

Bruce Felps owns and operates East Dallas Times, an online community news outlet serving the White Rock Lake area. He kinda likes the sound his recyclable packaging makes. You know, the sound of a bottle opener popping a top.
 

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