Products That Were Heavily Packaged In Plastic, We Had To Dig To Find Them

By Iulia P

Our beloved planet Earth is drowning in plastic. Oceans, forests, mountains, fields, and even cities are full of it. It’s 2021, and the researchers are not too optimistic when it comes to our planet’s future due to the amount of plastic humans use on a daily basis. The good news is that if we take action now, we might be able to save our planet and its beautiful landscapes and ecosystems. Even though it’s 2021 and many people and businesses have taken to use less of the stuff, there are people and businesses out there who choose to ignore the situation we are in and keep on using plastic with no limits: plastic wraps, plastic straws, plastic cups, plastic everything. Get ready to see how some businesses abuse the use of plastic unnecessarily wrapping packages and other items in it.

Card holder

Did you know that a simple card holder gift comes up wrapped in nothing more and nothing less than six different types of wrap and boxes? We also didn’t know about this either, but this is exactly what this Reddit user received as a gift.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/RickyRide

It is safe to say that some are not aware of the plastic situation today regarding the unnecessary amount that’s used and produced daily. Not to mention, all those big boxes and wraps just for a cardholder? Someone must have been disappointed that day.

Guess what!

We have a little game for you! We dare you to find out what piece of furniture was inside this package shown below. Hint: make sure not to judge by the length of that bubbly plastic wrap. And this is because it’s beyond deceiving.

Photo courtesy of Instagram/justinduancejewellery

If, by any chance, your answer is “chairs,” then your answer is correct. This person placed an order of two chairs (yes, only two), but the size of the package made the customers think they received at least six. What a waste of plastic wrap!

Plastic wrapped in plastic

In a normal world, the person who packed this parcel would probably have to give some explaining for what they were thinking. And by that, we mean using a massive amount of plastic to protect such a small product.

Photo courtesy of Instagram/lauraly_22

What is more infuriating than this is that the size of the box is at least ten times bigger than the actual product, which by the way, looks like it’s made out of plastic, too. In this case, why did they overly pack this product?

Baby food

This Reddit user ordered some baby food pouches from Amazon. Little did she know that she would see no more than 40 pouches packed individually in plastic bags when she opened the box. What kind of person does this?

Photo courtesy of Reddit/giantturtledev

If people continue doing this, the future won’t look that bright for us. Those pouches would probably be better off in the box without all those plastic bags anyway. Why they felt the need to put them in 40 separate bags, we will never know!

Caesar Salad

Did you know that BPA, the chemical compound found in plastic cans and containers, can have adverse effects on our health? This is because the chemical gets in the food or beverage from the containers, especially if we heat it up in those containers.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/Rattus_Amicus

This is the amount of plastic that is in a Caesar Salad box? Now, let’s take a minute to think of how much BPA was transferred from the plastic containers and wraps to the food. This amount of plastic is not only unnecessary, but it’s harmful to our health, too.

Stomach pills

At this point, we have to agree that some meds are overly packed with all the unnecessary packaging. Take, for example, the meds in the picture below. We are sure that all that plastic and paper boxes were not necessary.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/cbartlet

There is a question that bugs us. In order to reduce plastic and paper consumption, why don’t they look for another alternative of packaging that is more environmentally friendly or simply use less? We guess we will never know…

Dog tooth brush

This Reddit user ordered two dog toothbrushes and toothpaste, which are pretty small items that don’t need much protection. They ended up receiving their packed like this. We understand that the company did not want the product to arrive with any defects, but seriously!

Photo courtesy of Reddit/sidskid80

Was it really necessary to add all those plastic bubble wraps and a huge box that is at least 20 times bigger than the actual products? We repeat: Is this necessary for a product that is already wrapped in plastic and paper.

The light bulb

As much we want to understand the reason behind this unnecessary packaging of this light tube, we just can not. Sure, the big box was full of paper packaging instead of plastic, and it looks like the light tube is packed in both cardboard and plastic.

Photo courtesy of Instagram/littleslee

The funny part is that with all this plastic and paper protection, the light bulb can still break if the delivery men are negligent. So, why waste so much paper and plastic when you can just put the bulb in a smaller box and add the “fragile” sticker on it?

All for a cup

When we first saw the amount of plastic, paper wrap, and the two boxes in the picture below, we thought that the person behind the picture ordered a set of bowls and cups. Well, it turns out we were very wrong.

Photo courtesy of Twitter/nicholashedges

All this plastic and paper wrap was meant to protect… wait for it… only one cup. Yes, that green cup came in the mail in a box way bigger than it needs to be and wrapped with way too much wrapping. This is insane!

Local order

This right here is what a local order looks like. The Reddit user ordered a jar of honey from a local business, and this is the needless packaging they decided to wrap it in only for it to travel a few blocks. Read again. LOCAL!

Photo courtesy of Instagram/laura_is_magical

This means that all of this could have been avoided by simply putting the jar on the front seat, buckling it up, and driving it to the customer’s address. But no. They decided to pay post fees and for the wrapping… If “bad decision” were a picture, this right here would be it.

Chocolate box

This is how chocolate boxes are delivered nowadays: with a lot of plastic wrap and in a much bigger box than the size of the actual product. Apparently, there is a reason besides this crazy amount of wrapping: insulation.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/hatswithapast

In order to keep the chocolate or food that the company delivers in an acceptable and intact state, they need to add insulation to their packages. This is a valid motive, but was it really necessary to use this much insulation?

Nail polish

This right here might be one of the most ridiculous pictures so far. This Reddit user ordered two regular bottles of nail polish. She definitely received the products she ordered, along with a bonus of paper, plastic, and cardboard.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/nacostello

You just got to love when the company you buy from offers you a gift for your loyalty and for being a loyal customer. This company really appreciates its customers. Seriously, just look at the size of that box compared to the products.

One eyeliner

Yes, it is exactly what you think. The eyeliner in the picture below was the only product ordered in this package, which came in a more giant box than it should have with way more bubble wrap than was necessary. At this point, these people are just careless.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/lazaroo23

Maybe we would understand if the product was fragile, but for a crayon to come wrapped in all of that plastic just seems ridiculous to us. Imagine how a more oversized beauty product is packaged if an eyeliner comes out with all of this.

Why?

Can we please know why they felt the need to put this medicine, which comes in a plastic box, in such a big box with all that paper wrapping like it was made out of glass? Seriously, this picture is the definition of waste.

Photo courtesy of Instagram/jawnyawn

Seeing all these insane over-packaging examples makes us believe that the companies follow some sort of rule or protocol. And, if this is why they put this crazy amount of plastic and paper in one box, can someone change it?

The phone case

In case you got bored, we have another game for you! How many phone cases do you think would fit in a box like the one in the following picture? If you say more than 50, then you are right. But, someone had other ideas.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/russ3ll

And that someone is a worker from Amazon who sent this phone case in a box that is way too big for a case that probably measures around two feet. As much as we love Amazon, this time, they were definitely wrong.

Fridge piece

It is good that these companies that sell their products online are making sure that the product they sell will make it to their customer in one piece, but the situation that’s happening in the following picture makes us facepalm.

Photo courtesy of Reddit.com/FTprty

Okay, so the product is a plastic object that looks pretty resistant to shock. Let’s say they wanted to be extra cautious, and that is why they used styrofoam protection. But, using two different boxes just for that… All we can say is: what was the reason?

Oh, Lord!

Right when we thought we had seen everything, it turned out that we have not. This right here is probably the most unnecessary packaging out of all the ones we’ve seen so far; Big bubble wrap and a huge box only to protect the smallest object ever.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/LargeHamster69

That could have easily slid in the bottom of the box and not be protected at all. And, when you think that this could have been avoided just by sending the object in an envelope that has a little bubble wrap inside, then you’re probably absolutely right.

The screwdrivers

Someone decided to order five screwdrivers, and they got a lot of paper and a huge box instead. Oh, and the screwdrivers, too. But, it took some time to find them between the wrinkly papers in the box. But hey, at least it’s not plastic.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/EgregiousPackaging

There are so many ways of delivering small objects. Why do people send them like this, wasting so much packaging product? We will never know. But this is definitely a wake-up call for us to cut down on plastic use.

The hairspray

This Reddit user who posted this picture ordered five bottles of hairspray. All of them were ordered on the same day and from the same website. This is how she received the products she bought. We need an explanation ASAP!

Photo courtesy of Reddit.com/steveabraham

Each bottle came out wrapped in plastic bags. Then, they were each put in a separate box way bigger than it should be, surrounded by plastic bubble wrap. Why all this hassle when only one box would have been enough to fit all the bottles?

Stamps

Someone ordered stamps online. Another “someone” decided that it would be a good idea to send those stamps to the client in a cardboard box full of plastic bubble wrap. You know, just in case to protect the stamps.

Photo courtesy of dailymail.co.uk

At this point, we are more than sure that the person who packs the orders is following a protocol. In this case, we urge people to change that protocol to something more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Because what is happening is excessive.

Metal

Who knew that some metal pieces that look pretty solid, by the way, need massive amounts of wrap, paper, and big boxes to be delivered? How can we not be angry? Whoever packed this does not really care about the consequences.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/TenFresh

It’s clear as day. If that person would care about the problem of the excessive usage of plastic, they would not even think twice before trying to reduce the plastic they use for packing. Businesses can do better than this!

Custom palette

Someone on Reddit ordered a custom make-up palette. The pieces were all ordered together on the same day, and they all came together in a way bigger box than they should. Each piece was packed individually in plastic protection and paper.

Photo courtesy of Instagram.com/alexcl4rk

All we can say is, why? Why did the business feel it was alright to send each piece wrapped individually when they could have just added all the custom colors in the palette beforehand. They would have helped themselves with the shipping fees too.

Plastic straws

First of all, we have to say it! By now, plastic straws should be illegal. These tiny colorful one-time-use things are like a pest. You can find them everywhere, from forests to beaches and even the ocean. Many restaurants and cafes are starting to ban them.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/***holedesign

Now, not only is the content of the package already very dangerous for the planet but the brand that sells it decided that it was a good idea to wrap each straw in plastic as well. This right here is called ignorance.

Bepanthen

There are two things we simply can not understand when we look at the pictures below. One is why did the business that sent the product find it necessary to overly wrap it in so much plastic? It makes no sense to us since the cream is already in a cardboard box.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/dcarcehere

And two, why would someone buy Bepanthen online when you can find it at any drug store or pharmacy. Imagine how much we can help the planet by cutting down on ordering online. From the plastic to the emulsions generated by the transportation and shipping, it would help.

The stick contest

Someone ordered three pairs of drum sticks from Amazon, and these are all the boxes that they were shipped in. They were all delivered by three different sellers, but it’s fair to say that all of the boxes were way bigger than necessary.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/AnnaBennett_94

At this point, we have seen way too many boxes that were too big for the product they were carrying. We understand that businesses do not always have the right box on hand, but can they find a solution for this?

Mini cast iron pans

These next shoppers order two cast iron pans in order for the buyer to reduce the toxic chemical transfer that happens when we cook with regular pans. And, this is exactly how they arrived at the destination: wrapped in a ton of plastic in a huge box.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/daleyndaily

The irony: They ordered cast iron to stay away from plastic, and besides the pans that they ordered, they also received plastic as a bonus. There is no need to start discussing how big and unnecessary that box is at this point.

Kitty litter

You know that something is really bad when even your pet gives you that “what is this?” look. And if you don’t know what we mean, just take a look at this cat’s confused face. We get it. We are just as confused as he is!

Photo courtesy of Reddit/Tokin_Bs

Was it really necessary to pack all that paper protection to protect some kitty litter that was already in a plastic bag? We think it was not, but apparently, those who delivered this package thought otherwise. This kitty looks really upset with this situation.

Battery

You would not believe what all this paper is meant to protect. Wait for it… all of this wrapping paper was meant to safeguard nothing else than a battery. One tiny battery that is already pretty solid and can hardly get damaged.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/RandomUserFou

One thing is for sure. The person who ordered the battery is really lucky that they found the battery in that amount of crumpled paper. Many of us who lack enough patience wouldn’t have looked for it in that papery mess.

A 0.5 Oz concealer

And this, people, is exactly how a 0.5 Oz concealer is shipped to its new home. This tiny product arrived in a box that could fit at least 100 more concealers and was wrapped in so much paper that one would think the concealer was made out of glass.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/jamiestevens3

A concealer like that could have easily been sent in an envelope. And, if the standard envelope is not safe enough, there is another option; an envelope where the interior is made out of plastic bubbles for extra protection. This right here is just unacceptable.

Copper tubes

A Reddit user ordered 20 copper tubes online. All of them were ordered on the same day and from the same seller. We’re really happy with what he managed to sell, but we’re enraged that the seller used 20 non-recyclable envelopes to send them.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/OldTownChode

The seller thought it was a great idea to send all those 20 copper tubes in 20 different envelopes when they could clearly fit in one. We don’t know what was the seller was thinking, but we do know that this was a bad idea.

Amazon strikes again

At this point, we have come to the conclusion that our beloved Amazon that never lacks anything actually lacks one thing: small boxes for their orders. The irony of this picture is the product itself is eco friendly cups.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/rickytickytavytoo

The cups might be environmentally friendly, but that plastic is sure not. This makes us believe that the company does not sell eco-friendly products for the love of our Earth but for the love of profit. And, if this is true, then this is sad.

Skin care

Skincare is fundamental and necessary. There is no doubt in that. But, do you know what is not? This amount of packaging used to ship those skincare products. There is no need to describe how small the products are compared to the shipping box.

Photo courtesy of 50nerdsofgray.com

There is one thing we can not understand. Why did they have to use a total of 8 boxes for their products and a ton of wrapping paper? We get that they want to make sure the products arrive in perfect form, but seriously, that was so unnecessary!

Three months worth of pills

This is what three months’ worth of pills looks like; Ten big containers that contain 28 small pills and that are 75% empty. In order for you to understand how big the containers are, 280 pills can easily fit in just one container.

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/Alsdorf_JAR

Now, we can not help but ask ourselves: why does the manufacturer use such big containers? It is clear as day that this is not only bad for the environment but also for the pockets of their business too. If people don’t think about the environment (which is why we are where we are now), they should think about their own pockets.

50 item order

This is seriously how a seller sends his products to his customer. This is what an order of 50 items looks like, packaged in 50 different non-recyclable envelopes. As much as we want to blame the seller, apparently, it is not him that’s the problem.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/happydoodles

The real problem behind all this crazy over-packaging, over usage of plastic, and huge boxes is actually the shipping policy set by Amazon. Amazon, we love you, but you need to review your policy because what is happening is not cool!

15 days of pills.

These right here are samples that were received by the doctor of the person who took this picture. The number of pills from all these nine containers will last the person no more than 15 days. Now, this is a waste in its real form.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/basilfrui

Nine plastic containers, nine sheets of paper with the info about the medicine, and nine paper boxes. All these for no more than 15 days. This means this person throws no more than 366 empty plastic containers into the garbage a year when they can all fit in one container.

Another battery

We could not believe our eyes when we saw what came inside this well-packaged box. Well, we better say overly-packed box. It’s nothing more and nothing less than a battery. A small battery that one needs to fix their watch or their car key.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/katyanastasia

There is no need to say this again, but we will to reiterate a theme going on here. This could have been sent in an envelope. We think that the plastic wrap of the battery was already more than enough protection and that the plastic bubbles were not needed at all.

Amazon strikes again

How do you think the packaging of a Micro SD card looks like? Whatever your answer will be, we are sure that you will never think that it could actually look like this in the picture below. We are shocked. But then again, we’re talking about Amazon here.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/Jfonz

This is insane! Out of all of the pictures we have seen up until now, we think that this one is by far the most ridiculous one out of all. It’s time Amazon revised their shipping policy because this is getting out of hand.

Boxes of tea

These two boxes of tea arrived wrapped in no more than 34 feet of plastic bubble wraps. For our European brothers, this means approximately 10 meters and a half of plastic to protect some tea that is packed in another box.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/Cakalusa

Thirty-four feet of plastic to protect a box that will most likely be chucked in the rubbish once the tea is finished. We can not help but wonder if these companies know that some of the products they wrap don’t really need any extra protection.

Hot water

Someone needed a “Hot Water” sign, and they ordered it online. The next day, the lady found a big box in front of her door. She got excited and thought it was a gift from her beloved husband. When she opened the box…

Photo courtesy of Reddit/vegetariansnowflak

She was faced with one big disappointment. And can you blame her? Why in the world would someone send a plastic paper sign the size of a finger in a box that is this large? This is a question we might not find an answer to.

Package delivery!

Photo courtesy of Reddit/MIrandaJennieJo

And some of us are still in shock when we learn that we live in the era of a plastic pollution crisis. This is why we live the times we live because we abused this luxury and are still abusing it.

One dose

In the picture below, there are three individual plastic objects in three different shapes. No matter their shape and size, the effect each of them can have on the environment if they are not recycled is just as bad.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/ACES_I

Three different plastic wraps were used when only one would have been enough. This might not be a big deal to many, but altogether, this and the other unnecessary packaged objects will eventually have a massive impact on our Earth’s well-being.

Light bulbs

Welcome to the 21st century, where people buy eco-friendly light bulbs only to receive them wrapped in a ton of non-eco-friendly paper that is, not necessarily to say, useless for the protection of the bulbs. This is actually insane.

Photo courtesy of Reddit/mattttt15

By the way, the bulbs are already protected by the wrapping (plastic bubble wrap and cardboard boxes) that they come in. The picture is funny (because of the guy) and sad (because of the waste) at the same time.

Ink

This person placed an order of six ink cartridges for a printer, and this is how the package arrived. Six cartridges were put in six individual boxes and then placed in six separate cardboard boxes. It’s safe to say this one, too, was unnecessary.

Photo courtesy of Instagram/bigfishdesig

Why would they send it like this when they could have packed all six cartridges into one box? Unfortunately, this is an answer that we will probably never get unfortunately, and we are really curious to know what made them send the order the way they sent it.

The battery again!

Is this a trend that we are not aware of? Why are all these batteries sent in boxes 100 times bigger than their actual sizes? Seriously, now this is insane, and it feels like the online businesses don’t get it.

Photo courtesy of Reddit.com/AusJonny

And if they don’t get it, we think it’s up to us to take action. And one effective way to take action is to avoid buying online at all costs. Goodbye to useless plastic wrap and hello to a stroll to the store!

Tape

Same order, same seller, yet different boxes. We can not find a valid explanation for this “phenomenon,” but the person who took this picture seems like he might have discovered why the tape was sent like this.

Photo courtesy of Reddit.com/Little_Lorelei

Tape mating season. During the mating season, tapes usually become more aggressive towards other tapes, and in order to avoid any fights, they had to be separated. That is quite an explanation that brings light to this problem, don’t you think?