50 Unnecessary packaging fails that made people laugh at the absurdity

When it comes to product packaging, it has caused some serious controversy lately. Food packaging amounts to nearly one-third of all trash and costs the government billions. More and more people are fighting for eco-friendly and biodegradable packaging – however, companies seem slow to make changes.

Here are 50 examples of completely unnecessary packaging fails that will make you shake your head.

We can do better than this, people. Do we really need boxes for boxes? Or packages wrapped around packages?

1) This mind-boggler

Oranges come with their own natural packaging – it’s called it’s peel and rind. Instead, the peel has been taken off and the oranges were placed inside plastic that will never degrade. Seems very wasteful.

2) Really, Amazon?

This person received a package in the mail from Amazon. They were probably confused at what they ordered when they saw the huge box. However, instead of being filled with actual product – it was wasteful packaging. Look how small the item was!

3) Is this even real?

We’re not sure where this photo was taken exactly but it almost hurts to look at. There are so many questions here. What do they think the plastic is doing? Do they understand that the can is in and of itself…a package?

4) Masking tape isn’t allowed to touch other masking tapes

Apparently, rolls of masking tape are required to be packaged separately and also contain its own packaging material. It really seems like we could have saved a few trees with this delivery. Come on, Amazon.

5) The peel is still on though…

Is it just me or does it seem like bananas can stand alone without the packaging? It’s like they have their own durable protective layer called a ‘peel’ or something. But, no – just more unnecessary plastic.

6) They really wanted to protect that candle

It’s always nice when a company shows that they care about their customer service. However, this person ordered one candle online and this is the bubble wrap that came with it. Seems excessive.

7) As if the allergies weren’t annoying enough

One tablet of allergy medication apparently needed to be wrapped and packaged in not one, not two, but three separate packages. The waste from these little pills alone is really hard to think about. There has to be a better way.

8) Efficiency isn’t their strong suit

This person ordered six ink cartridges from Dell in the same order and this is how they showed up. It seems like someone needs to figure out some more efficient decisions in their shipping and logistics department. All six could have easily fit in one box.

9) But…they’re socks.

Can we all agree that socks shouldn’t require any special, careful packaging? They’re socks! What type of sock needs 7-feet of air packaging when they ship?

10) Eco-friendly…riiiiight.

“It may look like our designer, Roo, is hibernating, but this is just the packaging used to protect the eco-friendly light bulbs that arrived this morning. Sigh…” an Instagram user shared with this very ironic photo. They seem to be missing what ‘eco-friendly’ means.

11) Absolutely ridiculous

Okay, is this some sort of joke? Coconuts in individually-wrapped packaging? They are literally grown outside, on trees, in the elements, protected by their own very, very hard shell. This is so confusing.

12) Why though?!

Since when did fruit start requiring packaging? It makes zero sense. Can someone please explain the rationale and point to this, please? Because we’re not seeing it.

13) Amazon needs to cool it with the boxes

This teeny, tiny little memory card was in the giant box that you see right behind it. And guess who it is? Ding! Ding! Ding! Amazon!

14) So much excess

Parents bought their kid the popular ‘Lol Dolls’ and the packaging was quite astonishing. Take a look at the amount of toy versus the amount of plastic, cardboard, and fabric. What are we doing?

15) Why are we obsessed with plastic?

Someone took to Reddit when they ordered five pounds of sugar-free Jelly Belly’s. They were completely in shock when they arrived and found that each Jelly Belly was individually wrapped. Why on earth?!

16) It’s no wonder we have so much plastic in our oceans

A mechanical shop ordered 700 disposable screws. They showed up individually packaged and each one had a plastic thread protector. Seven. Hundred. Screws.

17) Dumbest idea ever

“New laptop came with anti-virus program. I only needed the security key code underneath a sticker on the bar code. A huge waste of plastic,” posted a Reddit user about this giant waste of trash and plastic. This marketing person should be fired.

18) Oh the irony

This person wanted to be a good human take care of the planet. So, they ordered four reusable straws to cut down on their plastic use. This, however, is the packaging those four straws showed up in.

19) As if you weren’t going to wash that potato anyway

Why, in any situation, is an individually-wrapped potato necessary? Just so they can throw more marketing on it? The label reads ‘Bakeable’ as if all potatoes aren’t bakeable? So confused.

20) You’re kidding us, Amazon

First off, we don’t know why these people needed to order this little label that says “hot water”. That’s a whole different thing. But why, oh why, did Amazon need to ship it in this gigantic box and extra packaging?!

21) Hmm…

Since nothing seems to make sense anymore, here’s a photo of some individually wrapped pieces of bread. We’re sure it keeps it nice and fresh but it’s the most wasteful use of plastic ever. It’s so sad.

22) Absolutely ridiculous

Two small boxes of tea and 30 feet of plastic bubble wrap. This is so overkill it’s unreal. Is tea really that fragile?

23) Wait, but…

Doesn’t this all seem just a little redundant? The glass, sealed packaging is now sealed in plastic. For what reason exactly?

24) Packaging on packaging on packaging

It’s like Inception over here with all this packaging. One within another within another. All for that nearly-microscopic, miniscule battery. Once again, we can all thank Amazon.

25) For the low price of $3.99…

Where do we even begin with this one? It’s an avocado that isn’t only packaged, but it’s already been pre-sliced in half. And the store defends it! This can’t be the world we’re living in, right?

26) Wow. Just, wow.

“My new insurance refuses to pay for meds I’ve been on for years. My doc gets free samples and gives them to me. This is the packaging for 15 days of pills,” shared one disappointed Reddit user. So not cool.

27) Plastic, plastic, everywhere!

This giant novelty Tic Tac box contains 60 mini boxes of Tic Tacs, each containing just six Tic Tacs each. That is so much plastic that is going to end up in landfills and our oceans. Sad to say the least.

28) Total brain malfunction

“Ordered a bulk order on Amazon from a single seller. They sent each item in their own individual envelope with their own individual tracking number – 50 items in 50 envelopes,” said another Reddit user. And that’s just 49 more chances for a package to get lost in the mail!

29) We can’t be real with this, can we?

The massive packaging for this little tiny knife is just straight up ridiculous. Did this seriously get the green light at this knife company? So much wasted plastic.

30) More excessive medication packaging

“I picked up 3 months of anxiety medication. Each lot of 28 tablets came in it’s own little tub which came in an individual box each with a set of instructions. I emptied all the separate tubs into one tub and it’s not even full,” explained a Reddit user. All we can do is shake our heads.

31) That fragile bubble wrap

Amazon wins the ‘worst packaging’ award yet again with this silly display. A person ordered a wheel of bubble wrap and it came with extra paper padding in the box. To protect the bubble wrap?

32) It’s not just Amazon, though

We can’t just sit here and point fingers at Amazon when it comes to excessive and egregious packaging. This person shared a photo of an order they placed with Dr. Perricone. Just unbelievable.

33) Mind is blown

It’s too bad there’s not some natural, protective peel that bananas came with to protect their delicate flesh so we didn’t have to wrap it in plastic. Oh, wait! They do! What the heck is going on here?!

34) Simply appalling

Here, ladies and gentlemen, we have another example of the most outrageous packaging for the smallest item. Couldn’t companies be saving so much money on shipping products and boxes?

35) Is this a joke?

It’s hard to even find words to describe the insanity that is this packaging. It’s completely asinine. We’ll just be over here with our palms over our faces.

36) Are you trying to make us feel like bad people, Amazon?

This person was very upset and disappointed when they ordered an eco-friendly product only to have it show up in this much packaging with this much plastic no less! You try to do one good thing for the planet…

37) Scratching our heads over here

These oranges are organic – but they are also each individually wrapped in plastic. So…it’s hard to feel good about eating it. Despite it’s organic-ness.

38) Oh no

Someone ordered a 0.5-ounce sample of concealer and Sephora shipped it in this crazy amount of packaging. There has to be a small envelope this could have come in instead, right? No?

39) Aren’t all potatoes a ‘handy portion’?

This packaging is so ridiculous on multiple levels. Fresh potatoes in handy portions? With less waste?! What? It’s wrapped in plastic!

40) The battery arrived!

That one battery showed up. Inside a giant box. ‘Protected’ by an ungodly amount of packaging paper. Makes sense. Just kidding. No it doesn’t.

41) This has to be a dream

This package of pre-peeled and pre-sectioned orange is next-level laziness. Can people really not peel and section their own oranges? Plus, the plastic! What a waste.

42) Even the cat is confused

One bag of kitty litter showed up with this amount of wasteful packaging. The trash and recycling workers have got to be so busy lately.

43) Okay, now THIS is a joke, right?

As we’ve seen, Amazon is really bad at wasting packaging. But this time? The packaging was so ridiculous that the person had to literally search for their item in the way-too-big box.

44) Were they out of small boxes?

Two mini cast iron pans from Amazong came in – you guessed it! Two giant boxes with some plastic to boot! Think of all the poor trees.

45) So very unneccessary

This pile of plastic is going to be a pile plastic in ten years, one hundred years, a thousand years, and beyond. And the worst part? Bananas don’t need to be packaged in the first place!

46) It’s got to stop

Yet again – Amazon makes us hang our heads in despair. People are starting to catch on, though, and we’re hoping they make some serious changed in the future. It’s absolutely necessary.

47) The first time wasn’t an accident

Since Amazon thinks that protective packaging needs protective packaging, we have this silly photo. Why are they wasting so much plastic? It’s like they don’t care at all.

48) All that for this

All of that packaging you see? It was for that tiny little item circled in red. We realize it had to be shipped in something but – come on now.

49) Humans are dumb

It’s a strawberry. Plain and simple. It doesn’t matter how delicious it is. It’s a strawberry and it doesn’t need to be individually wrapped and packaged. It just doesn’t.

50) Ugh

There is so much wrong with this. First off, the amount of plastic is exorbatant. Second, no one likes opening that type of packaging in the first place.

Clearly, we as humans can do better when it comes to reducing our waste and helping save our planet. Let’s all do our part to put an end to this outrageous use of excessive packaging.

H/T: Bored Panda