Every year on August 7th: Particularly Preposterous Packaging Day

Every year on 7 August, Particularly Preposterous Packaging Day reminds us that packaging should protect, not frustrate.

We have all been there: a pack wrapped in so much tape or plastic that you need scissors to get in. It frustrates the shopper, and for the producer it adds material cost, waste and labour on every single pack.

What makes packaging preposterous

Most over-packaging comes from using a heavy method for a light job. Typical examples:

• Promotional multipacks held together with layers of adhesive tape
• A full shrink wrap around products that only need to stay together
• A cardboard box or sleeve added just to carry a brand or an offer
• Extra stickers on top of packs that are already labelled

The example in the photo

One chicken frankfurter promo pack is sealed with tape, wrapped over and over, and frustrating to open. The other is held by a single Bandall band: clean, secure and branded, with an Easy Open feature that lets you open it without scissors or tools.

How banding cuts excess packaging

A banding machine wraps a narrow paper or film band around the products, tensions it and seals it onto itself. The band covers only a strip of the pack, so the product stays visible and the material used is a fraction of a full wrap. If you are new to the method, read what banding is, or compare shrink wrapping and banding.

Instead of tape, shrink wrap or cardboard, banding gives results like these:

• Up to 80% reduction in packaging material
• Significant labour cost savings
• Flexible for different shapes and bundle sizes
• Fully printable bands for branding, barcodes and variable data
• A shelf-ready, professional appearance
• Damage-free bundling
• Up to 95% energy savings
• Return on investment in less than a year

Where banding fits best

Banding is strongest wherever products only need to be held together and carry a message: promotional multipacks, shelf-ready packaging, food bundles (chilled and frozen included) and stacks of printed matter. It is not the answer when a product needs a full moisture barrier or tamper protection on its own.

Try it on your own product

Send us samples and we return them banded, with photos and video, within two working days, or visit our showroom in Dubai Investments Park to see it live. Book a free banding demo.

Have you come across packaging that was impossible to open, or a smart solution that impressed you? Share it in the comments.

Frequently asked questions

When is Particularly Preposterous Packaging Day?

Every year on 7 August.

What is preposterous packaging?

Packaging that uses far more material than the product needs, or is needlessly hard to open, such as packs wrapped in layer after layer of tape or plastic.

How does banding reduce packaging?

A narrow paper or film band holds the products together instead of tape, a full shrink wrap or a carton, cutting packaging material by up to 80%.

Is a banded pack easy to open?

Yes. A band can have an Easy Open feature, so the pack opens without scissors or tools.

Can the band carry branding and a barcode?

Yes. Bands are fully printable with branding, barcodes and variable data.