I’ve never been a fan of “impossible” packaging.

The ones that require scissors, a knife, and essentially minor surgery to open? (Or possibly stitches for me because of a slipped cutting implement or the plastic’s sharp edges.)

Energizer is finally fixing this madness.

The battery maker is rolling out new plastic-free packaging that’s actually designed with humans in mind.

You can open it WITHOUT a knife or scissors. Store the unused batteries without duct tape or a zipper bag.

And — bonus points — toss the empty paper package in any recycling bin.

But this even goes beyond ending consumer frustration.

For retailers, the slimmer design means more batteries fit in the same shelf space.

For the environment, it means less plastic waste.

And for Energizer’s bottom line, it means meeting growing consumer demand for sustainable packaging.

Took ’em long enough, is all I say.

This welcome shift follows similar moves by other consumer brands:

• Keurig redesigning its brewing system to replace plastic pods with plant-based wrapping
• Coca-Cola testing label-free Sprite bottles, instead using embossing and laser engraving
• Kraft Heinz experimenting with paper-based ketchup bottles

Why DID it take so long?

Like many product categories, batteries got stuck in an “that’s how we’ve always done it” mindset.

The Einstellung Effect at work — we all kept accepting awful packaging because… well, that’s just how batteries come.

Action for today: Take a boo at YOUR product’s packaging through fresh eyes. What “necessary evil” could actually be an opportunity for innovation? What if you suddenly HAD to do it a new and better way?

Need help rethinking your product packaging? Let’s talk about finding novel solutions. My team is awesome at that — hit reply.

Laurier

Product Payoff: Consider how Method was a bold challenger to the notion that cleaning products needed heavy, wasteful plastic bottles. Their sleek, refillable, biodegradable, recyclable packaging dramatically reduce wastes — and turned dish soap into counter-worthy design objects, transforming an entire category.