A customer who thought they were making a smart purchasing decision was disappointed after discovering the product was deceptively smaller than it seemed, thanks to bulky packaging.
What happened?
In a subreddit dedicated to infuriating design decisions, a Redditor explained that the Scotch Brand super glue they bought didn't live up to their eye test. A photo reveals that the "bottle" of glue was simply a tube cleverly situated in bottle-shaped plastic.
"I chose the bottle because a tube wasn't enough!" they wrote. "This Trojan trickery is an abuse coming from a brand with recognition."
Other Redditors shared in the original poster's anger.
"Pretty sure this is illegal. It's intentionally misleading," one person speculated, joining others who wondered the same thing.
However, even though the product was frustratingly different than what the OP envisioned, a number of commenters noted that Scotch had properly listed the volume of the product on the label.
"Dude, I get it...but read the amount listed on the package of ANYTHING you buy," one person advised.
"Yeah, you should have checked the weight," another said. "I almost made the same mistake."
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🔘 Durable materials 💪
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🔘 Not interested 🚫
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Armed with this information, the OP could perhaps avoid a similar situation in the future. Unfortunately, it isn't always easy to suss out misleading packaging, as another shopper discovered after opening their Filiera Madeo sausages.
Meanwhile, someone else pointed to another glaring concern.
"As if there isn't enough plastic in the world," they said.
Why is this important?
The UN Environment Programme has called attention to the vast amount of plastic "choking" our planet, with an astounding 440-plus tons of waste generated annually.
This toxic trash often ends up polluting our oceans and communities, leading to the deaths of wildlife, ruining the natural beauty of recreation areas, and leaching harmful chemicals that can enter our food supply.
Nearly 40% of all plastics are manufactured for packaging, per the UN programme. The decisions companies make to market their products are a significant part of that equation.
Is Scotch Brand doing anything to limit plastic waste?
On its website, Scotch outlines its sustainability mission, highlighting how its products can help people "thoughtfully create, re-use, repair, and protect" while consuming fewer resources.
Upcycling and rehabbing old items are savvy ways to eliminate material waste in landfills. These projects can also save you the financial hassle of buying new items.
Additionally, the brand highlights how most of its tape dispensers are meant to be refilled and reused, and it plans to have 100% of its packaging eligible for curbside recycling by the end of the decade.
Furthermore, Scotch lists how it's working to reduce its use of virgin plastic made from dirty fuels, producing its red tape dispensers from 80% recycled plastic and exploring paper-based alternatives from sustainably managed forests.
The OP's post is from two years ago, so it's possible the brand has made headway on reducing plastic from its super glue products. However, The Cool Down could not find any specifics regarding updates to those packaging designs.
What can be done about plastic waste more broadly?
As mentioned earlier, keeping an eye on the volume of product being sold can help you spot when a company's packaging may not be revealing the full picture.
You can also buy products that avoid plastic in their packaging or design, including self-care essentials like shampoo, lotion, and metal razors.
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