Waste of Packaging: Individually Wrapped Prunes

There was a story in TH recently about coconuts being shrink wrapped. Lo and behold, I went to Wild Oats the other day and saw said object. Of all places!! It may not comprise of much packaging per se but it is way too excessive. These days, how much (or little) packaging a product has does affect my decision to buy it. Hey, this could be a poll.

Considering the fact that I eat a couple of prunes a day, I think it's a good idea. I get the smallest box I can find, but they still seem to get stale before I finish the box. Even the fridge doesn't help. I like them when first opened. So yes, this is a real good idea.

Sorry, but it is a good idea, and we buy them. My 4-year-old just loves prunes, and demands a prune in her lunchbox every day. We couldn't do that without wrapping them.

Yeah, sorry, I generally try to go for minimal packaging, but the fact is that prunes are something that one can only eat so many of in a day (at least without unfortunate GI consequences). Which means even small packages are usually stale and inedible before they're finished. With individually wrapped prunes I can take the number I'm going to eat that day out and toss it in my bag/lunch box, knowing that the rest will still be moist and yummy when I get to them.

If they weren't individually wrapped, I'd A. Put my daily serving in a plastic baggie (disposable) or tupperware container (which would then need washing) to take with me and B. wind up tossing the stale, inedible dregs of the package and buying a new one.

So which is environementally worse, using individual wrappers or using plastic bags/containers and wasting a large portion of each package (which has been grown and shipped cross-country)? I suspect it's a wash, and the individual wrappers are far more economical for me than paying for a package that I can only half-finish before it's bad.

I would like if they'd put the individual wrapped prunes in a paper or cardboard container instead of plastic, but such is life. They're the only company to offer wrapped singles, so it's still my prune product of choice.

I, too, love purchasing and supporting environmentally responsible products. However, in response to your question about the value of individually wrapped prunes, I respectfully disagree with you. I own a bed & breakfast, and in addition to our typical breakfast fare, we love to put out little treats and surprises for guests. There would be such a high level of waste if I were to open a box or canister of prunes for guests. I was SO delighted to find the individually wrapped prunes so I can put a bowl of them out at breakfast time for guests to enjoy!

Incidentally, I was introduced to them at the church coffee hour, where those attending thought they were a brilliant offering -- with no waste.

Also, not everyone likes prunes. So it's great to have a means of serving exactly as many are needed!

My letter to Sunkist in response to individually wrapped prune idea...

Are you out of your minds!?!

Ok, I admit I'm trying to charm you out of individually wrapping prunes.
But; are you out of your minds. Do you know every ounce of plastic ever
produced is still sharing our planet with us?

I like your prunes. I eat them all the time but I won't continue to buy
the product of a company acting this irresponsibly. INDIVIDUALLY
WRAPPING PRUNES! OMG! I can probably find another brand I like just as
well. I don't know, I can't remember ever eating anyone else's. But I'm
going to try some now.

Why individually wrap prunes? So I can carry them around in my pocket?
Really not necessary and I don't know anyone that will do that. The few
(hopefully) who do will peel this artifical skin from the prune then
look around for a garbage can (or to see if anyone is watching) and then
if the can isn't within 2 feet (and if no one is looking) they'll throw
it on the ground and we'll have little Prune Prophylatics laying around
everywhere. If SunSweet is lucky right? They certainly won't carry the
sticky things with them any distance.

What a contradiction!!! Such a natural product convoluted to help
pollute the planet. Do you live on this planet too?

Here's how you turn this thing around before it's too late. Recognize in
commericals that you came to your senses and to help save the planet you
will NOT be individually wrapping prunes. INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPING PRUNES!
OMG! I bet it will have a bigger POSITIVE response from people than the
positive response you got from people learning they con now carry prunes
around in their pockets.

I'm not a real tree hugger or anything. This is just caught my attention
as being such a bad idea that I had to write.

Thanks for listening to my rant. I'm looking forward to the commercial.
Prune Prophylactics; I think it'll catch on.