An apparent phased packaging switch by Walmart caught a customer's attention and sparked major dissatisfaction from an anti-waste Reddit community.

What's happening?

A Redditor snapped a picture of the pasta display at their local Walmart and shared it to the r/Anticonsumption subreddit.

The photo revealed the brand was transitioning its packaging, with some elbow pasta in traditional cardboard boxes and a large cohort of others in plastic wrapping.

"Walmart is slowly swapping from cardboard to plastic packaging with their pasta," the poster wrote to indicate that cardboard was previously the norm.

"Bad to the bone but Walmart has been heading in the wrong direction in so many ways," a user wrote of the change.

"It's probably the result of a supplier switch, but I agree," a different user wrote. "I do hate it."

A Redditor, who claimed to work in packaging, suggested that paper shortages or higher prices might be the culprit in this case. 

Why is Walmart's move from paper to plastic packaging important?

This switch, while perhaps reducing package weight and saving a few bucks, poses significant environmental challenges. Plastic production contributes to pollution, requiring oil and gas and potentially leading to increased demands on these resources.

Single-use plastics like the ones used to wrap pasta are difficult to recycle and end up adding to landfill waste or becoming part of the plastic pollution crisis. These plastics can take decades or even centuries to break down.

While they're sitting in landfills or in nature, they can shed microplastics that are detrimental to human and animal health.

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Making this case even more frustrating is that cardboard packaging already provides a simple choice for those looking to support recycling initiatives. Most areas accept it for recycling, it gets the job done in storing pasta, and it's easy to dispose of when you're done with it. 

Is Walmart doing anything about this?

It appears that the switch to plastic wasn't permanent. On Walmart's site now, the advertised pasta appears to be in a standard cardboard box. Additionally, the massive retailer is seeking to switch over to "100% reusable, recyclable, or industrially compostable packaging," per its corporate website.

It is currently at around 67% by 2025 and is looking to increase its post-consumer recycled content to make this goal even more achievable. Other initiatives, like incorporating all-electric trucks into its delivery fleet, show that the brand is making an effort to reduce its pollution. 

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

Consumers can play a role in promoting sustainable practices by opting for products with recyclable packaging. Supporting stores focused on reducing packaging waste, like Trader Joe's, can be a way to vote with your wallet. 

On the supplier scale, companies can do a better job of avoiding unnecessary plastics. Experts also suggest that reuse-and-return schemes can help mitigate how much plastic goes to waste. Plastic alternatives can also one day be a viable way to wrap even the trickiest foods.

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