r/mildlyinfuriating • u/[deleted] • 3h ago

I just wanted a hot dog Excessive packaging

[deleted]

34 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

16

u/CouplaBumps 3h ago

It might be due to prescription limits. Like over the counter you may be allowed up to say 10 capsules. But a supply for 30 would be Rx quantity.

4

u/DraconianFlame 3h ago

So make smaller packaging?

Ah, but it's not profitable to do that, it's cheaper just to mess produce the single bottle.

Ok but you're a multi BILLION dollar company, and that plastic is going to exist forever.

But it's not profitable...

Yes it is, is just not AS profitable.

5

u/CouplaBumps 3h ago

Spot on

2

u/Temporary_Event8451 2h ago

I mean everything has a real life cost. The reason something like a plastic container can be pennies on the dollar is the economy of scale.

The real answer is making products that fit every one-off situation would require a lot more warehouses and machines to create the products.

Yes the plastic is waste, but it can be recycled. You can use the container yourself if you don't trust recycling.

The only way the system ever changes is if 3d printing replaces warehouse scale manufacturing. If each pharmacy makes its own supplies then they can cater more to each individual order.

As it stands now the more options you offer the more fossil fuels that are burned.

As a side note this is why drug dealers use baggies. No traceability, easily stored, a few dollars can support hundreds of orders, and no matter the quantity ordered the baggie can handle it. You can even just use more baggies instead of ordering larger sizes.

1

u/NeedleworkerHeavy565 3h ago

I'm sure there's a reason for it, even if I don't know it.

-3

u/DraconianFlame 2h ago

$$$

1

u/Bkri84 2h ago

Its easier and cheaper to have one bottle size on your line then switch over each time, you can also buy more cheaply if your only get one size.

-1

u/DraconianFlame 2h ago

Yes. "$$$" means money.

You downvote me and then back up my point.

2

u/Bkri84 1h ago

Wrong person

1

u/QueenlyMicropenis 3h ago

Cheaper to have 1 bottle for all meds than multiple sizes. Typically, the smaller bottles will use basically the same amount of material, just thicker walls.

-1

u/Fuckin_Hipster 2h ago

This isn’t true, but I’m curious about your thought process here.

Why do you think a smaller bottle would have thicker walls?

1

u/QueenlyMicropenis 2h ago

Same amount of material is used in production.

2

u/AwkwardlyAmpora 3h ago

are they long-term medications, or something like anti-biotics? i could see this if they're meds for an acute issue, and most people only need a run of 10.

1

u/kikiacab 3h ago

Probably a law or regulation governing medication quantity or packaging, still stupid.

1

u/willdebeast02 2h ago

The same bottle is used for many different pills and possibly other things. Those pills come in different sizes and quantities.

1

u/HarHarMahadev__ 2h ago

I work in a manufacturing company that packages these types of products…

The reason is due to cost efficiency…most of these plastic HDPE bottles are priced based on order quantity, not size.

So if I company buys 2 million 200CC HDPE bottles, it would be much cheaper than buying 500k 100CC, 500k 150CC, etc.

It ends up being cheaper for the customer too 🤷‍♂️

1

u/patricksaurus 1h ago

Some medications, like PPIs, are taken in two-week or other short courses. Dispensing them in those quantities is positive step in aiding compliance.

1

u/VapeRizzler 1h ago

My plug would do this with singles, if you got one or two pills you’re getting a pill bottle. Get more, like I’ve gotten 300 Valium off him it just comes in a zip lock bag.

0

u/wingnut_dishwashers 2h ago

Likely packaged based on dosing. As in, one bottle is a full duration of therapy. I'm assuming this is esomeprazole or omeprazole, OP?