As consumers have gotten more eco-conscious, many have opted to pay more for green products in the hope of doing their part for the planet. That makes it especially frustrating when companies participate in greenwashing — advertising their products as being more eco-friendly than they actually are.
One buyer recently posted about just such a negative experience in the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit.
What's happening?
The original poster shared their complaint along with photographic proof. "I bought K-cups with 'no plastic cups' only for each cup to be individually wrapped," they said.
Their first photo showed a cardboard box full of Hy-Vee sunrise morning blend coffee pods. Sure enough, while the individual pods appeared to be made out of paper products, they were each wrapped in clear plastic.
"I generally keep K-cups around for guests as our coffee maker makes both pots and individual cups," said the frustrated user. "I try to avoid plastic when possible in all products, especially K-cups. I thought this would allow me to use K-cups more regularly instead of making a partial pot each morning. This was a letdown."
Why are single-use plastics important?
Plastic pollution is becoming an increasingly significant problem. Plastic persists in the environment for decades or centuries, and it degrades into tiny fragments of microplastics, which infiltrate food and water, with major health implications for humanity.
Meanwhile, the more unnecessary packaging a company uses, the more its products cost — and the more it charges for those products, passing the costs on to consumers.
Is Hy-Vee doing anything about this?
On the sustainability page on Hy-Vee's website, the store stated: "We're committed to doing our part to reduce the number of single-use plastics in our stores. … We continue to search for sustainable packaging that works for our customers and the environment."
The company does not offer a timeline or benchmark goals for this project, making it difficult to track its progress or hold it accountable.
What can I do about plastic waste?
Generally, single-use items generate more waste than alternatives. When it comes to dishes, tools, and utensils, reusable, plastic-free options are preferable. As for food items such as coffee, a bulk package is usually more environmentally friendly than single-serving packets.
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Commenters pointed out an excellent option that would allow the original poster to use single-serving K-cups with their coffee machine. "They make reusable ones that you fill with whatever coffee you want," one user said.
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