My frozen meal box had room to spare. The paper sleeve on my taco was bigger than the taco. So I told the companies: make it smaller.
The asks
- Taco Bell: make the sleeves for soft and hard tacos 10% smaller.
- Costco: make the hot dog bags 10% smaller.
- Banquet: make the frozen bowl and its box about 20% smaller, unless the extra space is filled with more meat.
Why small cuts matter
Ten percent less paper on one taco is nothing. Multiply it by the millions of tacos and hot dogs sold in a year and it adds up. Less material goes into each wrapper. More wrappers fit in each shipment. Less ends up in the trash.
None of this needs a new invention. The companies already make the packaging. They would only change the size.
The catch
Oversized packaging can make a product look bigger than it is. A big box on the shelf suggests a lot of food inside. That is why I did not simply ask Banquet for a smaller box. If the box stays big, fill it with more food. Either way, the customer gets a better deal and the packaging stops hiding empty space.
How I sent it
I used the companies' web forms and a consumer care email. Each message was short and specific. I named the product, said what was too big, and gave the percentage I wanted. I did not write a long complaint or explain my whole day.
I have no replies to report yet. I am sending these because the ask costs me a few minutes, and a company can act on it.
Takeaway
Next time packaging looks oversized, tell the company with a specific number, like 10% smaller. Specific asks get read. Vague complaints get filed.
No comments:
Post a Comment