It sounds like Frito-Lay's compostable SunChips bags were just too loud for customers to crunch.
After a few months of growing backlash against the bags, which will compost in backyard or industrial composting settings but are also noticeably louder than other chip bags, Frito-Lay is switching all but one flavor back to the non-compostable versions.
A representative from Frito-Lay told The Inspired Economist:
While Frito-Lay works to develop a next-generation compostable package, SunChips Original snacks will remain in the current 100% compostable package, while the other SunChips flavors will be transitioned back to their traditional packaging. Once the improved compostable bag is ready, it will be featured in the SunChips Original flavor, allowing Frito-Lay to monitor consumers' response.
In retooling the bags, introduced in mid-2009, Frito-Lay might want to take a cue from Boulder Canyon, another chip company that switched to compostable bags recently. While the SunChips bags are made from corn-based polylactic acid, the Boulder Canyon bags are made with wood pulp and aren't as crunchy the SunChips bags.
SunChips bag - CC license by Flickr user j_lai
FRITO-LAYED AN EGG WITH THEIR
FRITO-LAYED AN EGG WITH THEIR SUNCHIPS BAG DECISION.
Instead of SunChips abandoning their compostable bags, there might have been another tack they could have taken. Use that noisy bag as a way to make a little noise about how they were doing something better for the environment. Maybe a commercial not only about biodegradability, but about the pride you will feel making all that noise and being recognized as someone who is doing things better. I don’t think that bag is going to cause terminal deafness especially to a generation that plays their music so loud that the bass speakers in car next to you can cause your car to rock.
They could have said, “Make some noise for the environment!” and asked us all to sign up. The SunChips bag noise could have been a rally call. And for fun, they could have offered Sun Chip earplugs or earmuffs as premiums when the sound of cheering bags gets too loud.
As a creative guy, I can imagine all sorts of over-the-top executives using the bag as New Years Eve noise-makers or teen age alarm clocks or even as a ring tone for your phone. How about a chorus of SunChips bags crackling to the tune of “America the Beautiful”? That has viral written all over it.
First thing I learned about making communications effective was turning any disadvantage into an advantage. Think of it: A snack bag as a badge of honor. That seems the perfect marriage for a consumer base that would love to live a little greener, if we could only make it easy for them to do it. It’s like having your chips and eating them too.
Irv Weinberg
Principal, Mind Over Markets
www.mindovermarkets.com
www.greenmarketingblog.com
Typical Self Centered Consumer
So is anyone surprised? I thought this was a cool idea, and was not a fan of the noise but recognized it might be a necessary evil, like putting my recyclables into their proper bins, etc. Our problem is we have all become so self centered we don't want anything to change our comfortable, quiet, chip munching habits. The new bag was a help for me, since my kids would hear me fumbling with it and remind me to "just step away from the bag of chips". Maybe their generation will be less selfish and recognize it is little steps like this that can end up making the biggest difference.
Know what else is loud to
Know what else is loud to consume at the office...carrots and apples. Put the chip bag down America!!!!
Pathetic
If we are not disgusting enough as humans to litter, now we bitch our junk food is too loud? What, are you getting nabbed in the middle of the night during a feeding binge? Come on people, get the message, we are destroying the environment. Bunch of morons, this is a no brainer. Bring on the noisy bags if it means my kids, and their kids, will have a more sustainable earth.
I stopped buying
The bags were really, really annoying. I stopped buying the chips. Bring back the old bags!
Aww, I liked the compostable
Aww, I liked the compostable bag noise and all.
How rediculous!
That makes me sad to see that people would rather the less environmentally friendly bag than using the louder bags. I personally liked the bag because everyone I am with always joke around about the noice. the only problem I see about the company that used the wood bags. Since the bag is based off of wood; IDE shy away from it if the sunchip bag is available because wood takes longer to grow than corn. The article didn't say anything about recycled wood. I'm still glad to see that companies are changing to help the environment. Plus eat sunchips rather than other brands becuase their ships are healthier for you and shockingly taste better. Sunchips have a ingredient flavor while other chips have a flavor added to the base chip... BLAH!
Bio -Degrade BS
Do really believe they are fully bio degradable in the first place? Like many products or ad campaigns it's BS in the first place.
Isn't It Ironic?
Isn't it ironic that all flavors of SunChips revert back to their original packaging, but only SunChips ORIGINAL will keep its new noisy bag?
I agree...
I know it sounds silly, but I actually stopped buying Sun Chips because I had become so annoyed with the packaging. I didn't think it was a big deal at first, but it seriously became a problem if I wanted to watch TV or listen to music while eating from the bag. I mean, you could easily just pour some chips in a bowl or another bag, but why should I have to do that? Personally, I'm glad they are listening to the complaints they received. I like me some Salsa Verde Sun Chips.
Those bags WERE really loud!
Those bags WERE really loud! I didn't think it was a big enough deal to change packaging back, but you never know..
The noise calls attention to
The noise calls attention to how many times they put their hand in the bag, how many chips they eat, and finally, how fat they are getting. No fat American wants that constant reminder.
On a side note, how many people actually compost the bags? Putting in the garbage makes the product barely better than its counterparts. We all know landfills are simply monstrous, trash time capsules. Unfortunately, not enough people make use of home gardens and composts. Why not a brown paper bag for their chips?
Is that not fancy enough? I guess it doesn't have that pleasurable crunching bag noise...
Maybe in the office
I think maybe those office guys and gals who are eating instead of working got caught more often because of the noise bag. Or maybe they didn't want to share their chips :D
Unbelieveable
All because they were too loud? Wow I have used those bags and didn't think anything of the noise. It is a chip bag. Where were these people trying to eat their chips unnoticed? Did the sun chip bag blow a secret agents cover while he tried to eat them in the ducts of a secret organization?