When Costco attempted to reduce its plastic usage earlier this year by switching its popular rotisserie chicken packaging from bulky clam shells to thin bags, it faced backlash from some chicken enthusiasts. The leaky bags and their tendency to split open caused inconvenience and mess, with one Reddit user reporting, “Chicken juice spilled all over the trunk of our car!”
Amidst the urgent need to decrease plastic consumption due to the environmental impact of plastic waste on landfills and water bodies, the packaging industry finds itself in a dilemma. With less than 10 percent of plastic waste being recycled and concerns over health risks associated with certain plastics, the call to minimize single-use plastic packaging is clear.
However, implementing sustainable packaging solutions has proven to be a complex challenge for businesses, policymakers, and consumers. Sandra Goldmark, a sustainability expert at Columbia University’s Climate School, notes the difficulties in finding effective alternatives. She comments, “Many current experiments in plastic reduction are falling short. The quest to find the perfect solution continues.”
Costco’s rotisserie-chicken-in-a-bag initiative exemplifies a “less bad” approach to packaging, aiming to reduce plastic use. Despite its environmental benefits, this solution has received mixed reviews. Goldmark explains, “While it’s a step in the right direction with less plastic and reduced transportation emissions, the practicality of a chicken in a bag still leads to inconveniences like chicken juice spills.”
