Shopper shares baffling photo of luxury brand's excessive safety precautions: 'Who buys that?'

A Redditor called out what others dubbed a blatant case of "bagception" in Sydney, Australia.

What's happening?

In the r/sydney community, the onlooker shared an image depicting a man carrying bags from a luxury brand inside of plastic bags.

"This blows my mind," they wrote.

"Those look like the bags from Louis Vuitton you get after making a purchase," a user wrote. "They are usually made out of cardboard so the plastic is covering/protecting those bags from getting wet."

Many Redditors agreed that the orange bags were Louis Vuitton and valuable on their own. One Reddit user added that "those bags are currency in themselves."

A baffled consumer asked, "Who buys that?"

Other users suggested that creators, collectors, and everyday people might use them to project wealth or to earn a quick buck via resale.

"Best part is that inside those orange bags is probably a handbag," one wrote. "It's bags all the way down."

Why is the fashion industry's excessive use of packaging important?

Plastic packaging is a massive contributor to the plastic pollution crisis. Thin plastics, like those used for bags, often require special recycling processes. That's why they often instead find themselves ticketed to a landfill. 

It's possible given the cardboard's vulnerability to rain that it was actually apt for the occasion. Still, the image of all those bags highlights the need for sustainable packaging solutions in the fashion industry.

Should companies be required to help recycle their own products? Definitely 👍 No way 👎 It depends on the product 🤔 They should get tax breaks instead 💰 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Fashion itself is a huge driver of waste globally, especially when it comes to fast fashion. 

In this case, brands like Louis Vuitton can be defended, as some Redditors did. High-quality items are more sustainable long-term compared to fast fashion products, which usually don't last long and are destined for landfills.

Is Louis Vuitton doing anything about this?

Louis Vuitton has a comprehensive sustainability section on its corporate website. When it comes to single-use plastic, the company said it's reduced use by 52% with a goal to completely eliminate its use by the end of 2025. At the time of writing, it's unclear if Louis Vuitton has hit that mark.

Some other goals include 100% responsibly sourced raw materials by the end of 2025 and adopting an eco-design approach for all products. This means either using recycled or biosourced materials, avoiding raw materials when possible, and making sure its products are repairable. 

Overall, it's clear the brand takes sustainability seriously. Hopefully, sightings like the one in this Reddit post won't be commonplace going forward.

What's being done about plastic packaging waste more broadly?

To reduce plastic packaging waste, businesses can explore alternatives like using more sustainable packaging or encouraging recycling/return schemes among consumers. Consumers can reduce their everyday plastic use by using reusable bags to take the place of plastic bags.

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