A few weeks ago, Frito Lay pulled its ballyhooed, environmentally-friendly(ier) compostable bag for its SunChips line of snacks because consumers considered it “too noisy.”
This corporate decision was inevitable, of course, as the customer is always right. Right? Not up north, reports Sustainable Food News:
Responding to a wave of consumer complaints over the noise level of its SunChips compostable bag, Canada’s largest snack food manufacturer said Friday the public needs to get a clue on helping save the environment.
Frito Lay Canada, which is owned by PepsiCo, has launched a consumer awareness campaign to help the public understand that its bag does not harm the environment as much as a petroleum-based bag.
The company’s campaign slogan is: “Our bag is loud, our bag is different, our bag is good for the environment, and our bag will remain on store shelves.”
Frito Lay Canada has even created a “public service” video that respects the intelligence of consumers and explains why the bags are noisier than conventional bags — they’re made from a plant-based plastic that’s louder at room temperature than petroleum-derived plastic — as well as the environmental benefits of a compostable bag.
And after all that, if Canadians still hate the bag, finishes Frito-Lay Sustainability Leader Helmi Ansari, then the company will happily send them … a free pair of earplugs. No joke. Or rather, a joke, but a real offer.
So, to sum up: Frito Lay Canada saw the bag brouhaha as an opportunity to get some exposure for their product and burnish their environmental credentials. And Frito Lay America? It retreated with its tail between its legs in the face of a vocal minority screaming about being able to snack in absolute silence — consequences be damned. Once again, Canada proves itself smarter than the “land of liberty.”
