That Empty Box In Your Cart? You Paid More For It Than You Think
The hidden cost of cardboard and paper packaging is quietly driving up your grocery bill. Discover how e-commerce and sustainability are adding a silent surchar
By Foodie Pundit Newsroom - Published - Updated - Section: Food Prices
Key points
- The e-commerce boom created a surge in demand for cardboard, putting your cereal box in direct competition for resources with Amazon's shipping boxes.
- The consumer-led push to replace plastic with paper, while environmentally positive, often results in more expensive packaging, and the cost is passed to you.
- Food manufacturers are facing volatile packaging costs, leading them to either raise prices or subtly reduce the amount of product in the same-sized box.
- A significant portion of your grocery bill, sometimes as much as 40% for dry goods, is for the packaging, not the food itself.
- To save money, consumers can look for minimal packaging, buy in bulk, and choose brands that are not invested in elaborate, multi-material containers.
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Sources and methodology
Reported from the public datasets below.
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