Walmart employee sparks conversation after sharing photo of frustrating situation at store: 'Such a pain'

Walmart employees are drawing attention to one of the most frustrating and wasteful trends in retail: excessive packaging.

What's happening?

A Walmart employee shared a photo of what appeared to be two individually boxed items sitting inside a larger cardboard box — only to reveal that the products inside were wrapped in plastic as well.

"A box inside a box! Not to mention the thing inside them was plastic as well," the caption stated.

Commenters were quick to echo the frustration. 

One user wrote: "Yes. I hate that they do this. Such a pain to open and so much waste." 

"Don't even get me started on the damn lamps in furniture," another said.

Why is overpackaging important?

While cardboard may be recyclable, excessive packaging still contributes to a growing waste problem and strains recycling systems.

The practice leads to more pollution in manufacturing, transport, and waste processing. In the United States alone, packaging makes up nearly 30% of household waste, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. 

And when it includes plastic, the environmental impact only worsens. 

Plastic doesn't biodegrade, and much of it ends up in landfills or the ocean, where it breaks into microplastics that infiltrate water supplies and food chains. For example, plastics can build up in wildlife, causing underdevelopment, illness, and death, as it has in New Zealand's flesh-footed shearwater.

When you think about a product's packaging, which of these factors is more important to you? The way it looks 😍 The information it provides 🧐 The waste it produces 🗑️ I don't think about packaging at all 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Is Walmart doing anything about this?

Walmart has made public sustainability commitments, including a pledge to achieve zero waste in its operations in the U.S. and Canada by 2025. The company also participates in initiatives such as Closed Loop Partners and has the Walmart Recycling Playbook, which encourages suppliers to reduce unnecessary packaging.

That said, the Reddit post highlights a potential disconnect between policy and practice.

What's being done about overpackaging more broadly?

Globally, some governments have begun regulating packaging waste, including with the European Union's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, which mandates eco-friendly design and recycling targets.

Consumers can also take action to reduce their use of plastic. Exploring plastic-free alternatives in everyday products and supporting brands that use plastic-free packaging are great ways to get started.

Small actions such as these can push companies to adopt more efficient and eco-friendly practices and prevent wasteful boxes inside of boxes from becoming the norm.

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