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Why are Asian products so often wrapped in really thick plastics? (feddit.de)

submitted 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

16 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I live in Europe but sometimes shop at Asian supermarkets here. One of the things I notice with almost everything I buy there is that plastic packaging feels a lot thicker than that on European products. Is there a rational reason for this? Are plastics simply cheaper? Or do people worry more that products might spoil? Are these different types of plastics?

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[–] [email protected] 45 points 5 months ago (2 children)

I sometimes wonder why anything is wrapped in plastic at all. So many products are wrapped in plastic for seemingly no other reason than to indicate that it’s unopened.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Ive always thought organic produce on a Styrofoam plate wrapped in plastic was a bit ironic

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

Is that a thing? I guess I don't see styrofoam much anymore for containers.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

If it’s edible, plastic help with preserving the food a bit longer. If it’s wet or moist, the plastic will prevent the product from making a big mess.

You could use paper or cardboard too, and that would be good for the environment but bad for everything else. You could use metal or glass containers too, but that’s really expensive and inconvenient. Plastic is the most appealing option as far as manufacturing, shipping, storage and sales are concerned.

In order to change that, you would need to vote for politicians who make plastic more expensive for the companies.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

Mostly plastic is used because it's cheap and convenient, but paper alternatives are completely feasible.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)