View Full Version : Excess packaging - what a waste!
I've just been wading through the kids toys and trying to extract them from the boxes, it's ridiculous the amount of cardboard, tape, wire and plastic ties used all to hold one wee doll etc.. in place.
Most young kids I know can't even get the toys out without the aid of an adult armed with scissors and occasionally an angle grinder!
Bratz dolls in my experience are some of the worst to open, it's hard enough just getting into the see-through box, 10 minutes later once you've managed to wrestle it out you then discover it's got plastic sewn into it's hair. I'd far rather buy a doll with dishevelled hair than waste that amount of card and other bits.
Might I also add that a lot of the bits and pieces used in the packaging of young children's toys is quite dangerous, toys sold in this country are tested to certain safety standards so why not the packaging too, the whole process needs a complete rethink! The majority of the cardboard used is probably not even recycled either.
Maybe it is time for a boycott of all things excessively packaged; we would all save a fortune! That or else start writing to manufacturers and our M.P.s in protest at the waste of our valuable resources! :)
We can all do our bit such as refusing the paper bags which every shopkeeper insists on putting our purchases in (even though they are already encased in plastic) and use shopping baskets or bags instead. After all, there is nothing more unwieldly than carrying several plastic carrier bags with their handles cutting off the circulation in your fingers rather than one or two "real" shopping bags.
Personally, I'm waiting for some very trendy shopping trolleys being designed with modern materials and patterns and silent, wide wheels! ;) Bliss!....
Bobinovich
30-Dec-07, 02:20
Oh Julia, as someone who struggled most of Christmas day with Bratz, Transformers, Pirates of the Carribean and the like, I can only agree.
Christmas paper and card (both sans tape of course) were put for recycling. But what to do with all that plastic - 2 black bin-bags full in total. The very devil to try and compress down so it ended up in the scaffy.
Something has got to give because the current situation is absolutely ridiculous [disgust].
sassylass
30-Dec-07, 03:21
I've been known to return items with too much nuisance packaging...and I let the store owner know exactly why I was returning them. Not sure how much effect I had, but I sure felt better ;)
changilass
30-Dec-07, 04:05
http://forum.caithness.org/showthread.php?p=315601#post315601
I posted this earlier on another thread :lol:
I agree the other thing that annoys me is all the junk mail that comes through my letterbox every week which i dont want and is such a waste when u add it up right across the uk
But the biggest problem these days we are living in a throw away culture were its cheaper to throw something away rather than fix it.I like to build my own computer up but to be honest about its cheaper to buy one than build it when u add up the cost of parts and software its not worth the hasstle
Junk mail, yes that anoyes me as well. It usally comes with a pre paid enverlope so i send it all back to them LOL jan x[lol]
Couldn't agree more and it's so hard to know what you can recycle. Apparently even wrapping paper can't always be recycled though how you're suppose to know what can and what can't I've no idea. Presumably, since you're not allowed to recycle envelopes, anything with glue is unacceptable. Nearly everything seems to have plastic and paper/card mixed up. As for unwrapping things - nightmare. Toys carry warnings about removing all those bits before giving to a child so what are you supposed to do? Take them off before wrapping and give separately to the parents or do parents have to be eagle-eyed and ready to remove toys from excited children as soon as they're unwrapped so they can be made safe? It's all mad.
riggerboy
30-Dec-07, 11:55
this may sound a bit petty, but i normal take the item out of the packaging in the shop and leave them with the disposal, Argos inverness was not happy when i did it with a patio set, i could not get it all in the car when it was in its boxes, so i just unpacked it there and then, hey presto it all went in the boot, manager not very happy, i now do it most of the time with anything i think is over the top, you getsome funny looks when you ask them where the bin is ;0)
Personally, I'm waiting for some very trendy shopping trolleys being designed with modern materials and patterns and silent, wide wheels! ;) Bliss!....
http://www.verko.co.uk/category.aspx?catno=76&kw=shopping%20trolleys&fl=650&gclid=CL2gv-fzz5ACFQjtlAodQQ8yOg
If I win the lottery I will buy you one of these :cool:
http://www.verko.co.uk/category.aspx?catno=76&kw=shopping%20trolleys&fl=650&gclid=CL2gv-fzz5ACFQjtlAodQQ8yOg (http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://www.verko.co.uk/category.aspx?catno=76&kw=shopping%20trolleys&fl=650&gclid=CL2gv-fzz5ACFQjtlAodQQ8yOg)
If I win the lottery I will buy you one of these :cool:
Please do but until then I think I will design and make my own, what a price! Anyone got quiet wheels? ;)
They are very expensive but very lovely.
Sapphire2803
30-Dec-07, 13:06
Ooh, yes please Santa :) I'll have one of those trolleys next Christmas. Mind you, it's about 12 miles home from Tesco and I'd have to start walking it to warrant having the trolley, so umm... maybe not.
As for junk mail, I have a friend who takes the time to sit down and use the prepaid envelopes to send all the companies each others leaflets etc.
I remember someone telling me once that they empty their ashtrays into the envelopes and send them off! Eugh!
Hi there, talking about excess packaging and the amount of junk mail we receive just reminded me of an article i read in one of todays papers. A lady in Edinburgh could'nt believe the amount of cardboard and paper she gathered up from Christmas presents this year. When it came to refuse collection day, she gathered it all up and put it in her bin, she could'nt get it all in unless she left the lid sticking up which she had by the time she was finished. Anyway, off the lady goes to work, on returning in the evening however, she finds everybody elses bin has been emptied except hers. Phoned the council the following day and was told, the men have been instructed not to empty bins unless the lid is down completely. This is Health and Safety. It seems that we are filling our bins more and more so some councils have started to sticker such bins with a white sticker containing a warning, for a second offence a yellow sticker is applied(i presume with a sterner warning) on your third violation however, you are fined 30.00/50.00 pounds(depending on your particular council):~( As far as this article in the paper goes, it seems to be spreading through the councils of the land, so how long till it affects all of us eh!:roll:
sassylass
30-Dec-07, 17:41
this may sound a bit petty, but i normal take the item out of the packaging in the shop and leave them with the disposal, Argos inverness was not happy when i did it with a patio set, i could not get it all in the car when it was in its boxes, so i just unpacked it there and then, hey presto it all went in the boot, manager not very happy, i now do it most of the time with anything i think is over the top, you getsome funny looks when you ask them where the bin is ;0)
That's brilliant!
Think we should start a nationwide campaign to do this for all shopping. Admittedly some food needs packaging (e.g. meat and dairy) although not as much as it gets but fruit and veg. don't. Wouldn't it be great if we all removed the packaging before we left a store, putting goods into our re-usable bags. Could always take some bubble wrap for fragile things as it lasts for ages. We'd need to take scissors with us for some of the tougher stuff like those wretched blister packs.
It would drive the shops crazy but they'd get the message.
sassylass
30-Dec-07, 21:16
In thinking about it, it's not really the shops fault, is it. It's the manufacturers who need to get the message.
In thinking about it, it's not really the shops fault, is it. It's the manufacturers who need to get the message.
True, but the manufacturers are more likely to respond to the shops who purchase from them(and have a pile of customer dumped packing to contend with!:eek:) than the individual, well meaning consumer.:)
let's organise!
Can we get together for a mass shopping demo. at Tesco - if anyone has clout with manufacturers, they have. Maybe with a bit of publicity it would catch on. We could hit Wick and Thurso on the same day. Any takers?
Well I recycled as much as I could over the festive period.
changilass
31-Dec-07, 14:01
I'm up for it badger
It's a little far away for me but I am with you in spirit!
Too many folks won't stand up for what they believe in these days...go for it!:)
lynne duncan
31-Dec-07, 14:44
totally agree extra packaging should be left in store
and also agree with julia why do toys need to be screwed into packaging! why does dolls hair required to be sewn to cardboard!!
Can we get together for a mass shopping demo. at Tesco - if anyone has clout with manufacturers, they have. Maybe with a bit of publicity it would catch on. We could hit Wick and Thurso on the same day. Any takers?
Count me in too!
Think we rather lost this so, now we're into the new year what are we going to do? We need to organise a shop together as I don't think I'd have the courage to do it alone. Any suggestions?
changilass
06-Jan-08, 20:25
I'll go shopping with you Badger, I have no qualms about leaving the packaging at their doorstep or more likely customer service desk:lol:
crashbandicoot1979
07-Jan-08, 14:07
Think we rather lost this so, now we're into the new year what are we going to do? We need to organise a shop together as I don't think I'd have the courage to do it alone. Any suggestions?
I'd be happy to go shopping with you too. I wouldn't have the courage to do it on my own either but if there was a few of us, I'd definitely do it. Mob mentality and all that....
My small contrinution to this is that when I buy a magazine or the like, I shake out any leaflets in it and leave them for the shop to dispose of!
I was up at the council recycling depot in Wick yesterday! The number of people who were disposing of excess packaging was ridicuous! Me included!
Margaret M.
07-Jan-08, 14:46
We need to organise a shop together as I don't think I'd have the courage to do it alone. Any suggestions?
You may want to call Noel Donaldson at the Groat and invite him to go along. He may consider this a worthwhile topic for his column.
That's a good idea Margaret. Not sure if there are enough of us yet so it's probably going to have to be in Wick Tesco, also seems to be only female volunteers :roll: . So far I think we have
Julia
sassylass
changilass
crashbandicoot
badger
and karia with us in spirit :)
It's not exactly a crowd.
That's a good idea Margaret. Not sure if there are enough of us yet so it's probably going to have to be in Wick Tesco, also seems to be only female volunteers :roll: . So far I think we have
Julia
sassylass
changilass
crashbandicoot
badger
and karia with us in spirit :)
It's not exactly a crowd.
Ach Badger,
It's not how many of you there are, it's how loud you shout!
mums angels
07-Jan-08, 22:58
we had three trips to the recycling centre last week with packaging , it drives me mad how difficult things are to get into , however in defence of the bratz dolls they are introducing new easy open packaging which made life much easier this year .. no more stitched hair no more firmly sealed plastic boxs and not a peice of wire in sight, even my daughter managed to open hers without a problem , i hope all toy packages start to do the same .
Bratz packaging was the worst!! Our little one got a 'Easy Open Packaging' from her grandad and he had to still get the scissors to get into the stupid box. It was definately not easy to open.
I sat just the other day finishing off opening the Bratz dolls and managed to break nails and all sorts! Had a slice taken out of my hand like a paper cut!! Sore!!
I will say that if you are going to do a stand off then be prepared and have your unpacking tool kit with you!! This could include, scissors, stanley knife and even plasters!!! :eek:
Good luck to you all!!
mums angels
08-Jan-08, 17:22
Bratz packaging was the worst!! Our little one got a 'Easy Open Packaging' from her grandad and he had to still get the scissors to get into the stupid box. It was definately not easy to open.
I sat just the other day finishing off opening the Bratz dolls and managed to break nails and all sorts! Had a slice taken out of my hand like a paper cut!! Sore!!
I will say that if you are going to do a stand off then be prepared and have your unpacking tool kit with you!! This could include, scissors, stanley knife and even plasters!!! :eek:
Good luck to you all!!
IMO bratz pacakges really were better this year than in the past...granted having a look at the ones my daughter still hasnt opened the little pieces seem to look like a pain to get out but( but no wires just elastic bands) i was meaning that on a whole compared to the transformers and spiderman packaging bratz (mainly the fashion doll sets) were much easier to get into than any previous year that i've had to do them ..the biggest help been the unsealed boxes, they now just have cardboard backs and little bits of tape holding it to the plastic.
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