Sharon's Soapbox
April 2004

I am not old and I am not weak. So why can’t I get packages open anymore? Most recently it was a new set of batteries and charger that almost defeated me. I had to use a serrated carving knife to get the blessed package open. I had to chop it into 5 pieces to get all the parts out. It had been sealed around the edge, and then at 3 other points to keep the front from separating from the back. Scissors could not have been used because of the rigidity of the plastic and the raised edge around the package.

A few years ago there was a movement to decrease the amount of packaging because of environmental concerns. I concur on the environmental level (that battery package was about 4 times the size of the product that I bought), but also on a usability level. The more difficult it is to get into the package, the more likely we are to use sharp objects, like knives, and then the more likely we are to injure ourselves or others. Packages that are hard to get into may defeat the thieves, but the consumers suffer also.

This phenomenon of frustration has been dubbed “packaging rage” or “wrap rage”. A survey on packaging rage was reported in the British magazine “Yours” which targets readers over age 50. A stunning 71% of respondents reported that they had actually been injured while trying to open food packages – mostly because they opted to use sharp objects when hands were not sufficient.

As we move toward products that are more useable by all members of society, it is rather self defeating to be unable to get into the package to access them. The only way this will change is if we, the consumers, complain to the manufactures. In the meantime put on your Kevlar gloves and safety glasses when you open that new package.

Sharon

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