One shopper was frustrated to find that the package of candy they'd bought contained more plastic than candy.
Their post appeared in r/mildlyinfuriating, a subreddit for venting about a wide range of issues. While most posts aren't about the environment, the sub does often feature Redditors who are annoyed at wasteful businesses and products.
That was the case this time, when a Redditor posted about a new product they'd tried: Tic Tac Travels. "The amount of Tic Tacs you get versus the amount of plastic waste you get," they said, sharing a photo of their purchase.
In the picture, the Redditor had taken apart the package, a large Tic Tac container full of smaller, multicolored containers. The Redditor emptied each one and dumped the Tic Tacs back into the bigger box, leaving the smaller boxes in a pile next to it for a comparison. The Tic Tacs didn't even fill a quarter of the large package, and the pile of plastic waste was much larger.
It's easy to see why someone would be frustrated with getting so little candy in all that packaging, but as commenters pointed out, this was partly on the buyer.
"Congratulations, you bought plastic!" one commenter said.
"Isn't a normal pack of Tic Tacs already portable enough?" a second Redditor asked.
"I'm not exactly an activist but that is shocking. To the point that I just wouldn't buy it. I didn't know they sold them in that quantity to be honest," another user said.
Indeed, there are many other types and sizes of Tic Tac packages that offer more product and less plastic — not to mention all the other candy options out there, many of which have less plastic or even plastic-free packaging. Choosing a less wasteful product usually lets buyers break even on costs or even save money while cutting out 50 pounds of unrecyclable plastic garbage a year.
There are businesses making strides in reducing their packaging footprint, with some now turning to plastic-free packaging to set a sustainable standard within the industry. On the other side, consumers can hold corporations accountable by opting to support circular brands or brands that are committed to eco-friendly initiatives — and committing to reduce their own personal plastic waste.
As for the purchase this Redditor made, one commenter had a suggestion to recycle the packaging and make the situation more eco-friendly. "Send me those!!!" they said. "I can use them to save seeds."
Finding creative ways like this to upcycle packaging helps to extend its lifecycle and keep it out of landfills longer.
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