SHARP CORNERS AHEAD
It's good to see an article on a topic that at first blush seems too trivial but vexes most consumers today. Wired has a timely article titled "Tales from Packaging Hell", that encapsulates the problem:
"From Psyclone electronics cables encased in impenetrable layers of thick plastic to DigiPower camera batteries coated with packaging several times the size of the item itself, the hardest part of buying electronics these days is opening the products when you get them home. In many cases, it makes solving Halo 2 seem like a kindergarten project."
The reason of course is retailer concern over theft (aka shrinkage):
"The bottom line is the bottom line. Retailers demand the hard-to-open packaging to avoid "shrinkage," or shoplifting, a problem that cost U.S. stores more than $10 billion a year or $25 million a day, according to statistics from the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention. They also want the item to be visible to customers and capable of withstanding the rigors of long-distance shipping from manufacturing plants in Asia."
I didn't realize how big a problem this actually is, as the article indicates:
"But it's not just a matter of customer frustration. These packages pose real danger. Data on the topic is irregularly collected and vague; the U.S. Centers for Disease Control's most recent accounting, in 2001, listed "unintentional cut/pierce" as the fifth most common cause of nonfatal unintentional injury, but that also includes the much more common assortments of knife accidents owing to normal kitchen work."
As an avid consumer who's suffered lots of cuts trying to open these blister packs, all I ask is that the packaging be designed with some indication on the best way to cut it open. Provide a point of entry. This apparently is a novel thought for industry participants as this quote indicates:
"An executive with Performance Design Products, which makes electronics accessories under the labels Pelican and Headbanger Audio, acknowledges something needs to be done.
"As a consumer myself of other products, I've always wondered how the heck do I get this open," said Paul Chen, PDP's vice president of content and licensing. "We could probably do a better job to outline the best way to open this product. That is something to consider."
Better late than never, I guess.
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