Since I’ve been in Mississippi recently, I’ve been eating fried food a bit more than I usually do (read: almost never). What good timing then that Heinz has decided to update how they serve fried food best friend, ketchup.
The world’s leading ketchup maker is replacing its old packets with Heinz’s Dip & Squeeze packets, which let users do either. The reason I care is that the new ones hold three times as much ketchup. The speculation goes both ways on whether this will mean more waste.
Fast food joints are notorious for tossing in way too many packets of ketchup. If they continue this trend, it could lead to more waste, as the above link suspects. But, maybe stores will wise up and only give one packet now, knowing that they’re much bigger and cost a bit more. I’m gonna guess they lead to more waste. Hope I’m wrong.
The best method I’ve seen is the big pump into the tiny paper cups. That’s doesn’t work with drive-thrus, though, which makes it close to irrelevant (OK, not quite irrelevant). I know this topic isn’t the most important one in the world of waste, but I’m intrigued because Heinz ketchup use is so widespread. Americans use 11 billion packets per year, according to this AP piece.
What do you think–will the new package increase or decrease ketchup waste? Do you care about this shift or not so much? Still pining for the days of ‘catsup?’
Comments
12 responses to “Ketchup Concerns”
I had the same concerns and thoughts. I HATE ketchup so it makes no difference to me. I also think this might make more waste at work places. My husbands office kitchen is supplied by the company with a jar of peanut butter and the little jelly packets (like the new ketchup ones) for breakfast. If they were to supply ketchup it would probably be in a big bottle but with these I think they might decide for these instead.
I work nights in health care and would much prefer the new larger dip size. Who has the time or inclination to open all those little packets just to get a goodly amount of ketchup on their fries?
I think too, that they would lead to more waste.
Its easier to grab four bulky packets than twelve thin ones.
Heinz profits anyways, its only the fast food eatery that loses 🙂
By the way, I’m glad I’ve found your blog, as I am concerned about food wastage too.
I am doing food management on a tiny scale in my own kitchen, ensuring leftovers are eaten up and repurposing leftovers etc., so that I don’t have to see food going to waste.
Do you think you might start a sister site, on food wastage and waste management in homes?
I would be happy to contribute ideas.
All those little packets of ketchup, jelly, soy sauce, hot mustard, maple syrup and more make me CRAZY. It’s not just the food waste – it’s the plastic, foil and paper. And don’t get me started on the Keurig coffee makers!!!
Those ketchup packets were designed in 1968. So it’s no wonder they’re a bit outdated.
Hey Arthi, you’re in luck–I already write about home food waste. Check the “household” category on the sidebar. But thanks for the feedback because I haven’t written about it as much lately.
I guess we know what to get dee dee for her birthday…
Packaging waste–so true.
I have to admit, part of me is impressed that a little thing can squeeze or be peeled away. What a world!
It might also be helpful to consider this question in terms of how the new packaging maximizes the amount of ketchup (catsup?) that can be extracted from each package. I don’t know about you, but I find it nearly impossible to squeeze every last bit out of those little packets. With the new design, it appears as if less will be left over.
Assuming we’re not wasting piles of unopened packages, which results from far too many being handed through the drive-thru (through?) window, part of me thinks that this new design could lead to less overall waste. Something to investigate, anyway.
Matt, that’s a new wrinkle to the topic and a good one. Many of us (my hand is raised) go to great lengths to get the last bit of toothpaste out of a tube. Yet, I’m sure few people do the same with ketchup. Probably partly about design, partly about the price.
Once these packets come out, I’ll have to “investigate” with a nice order of fries.
On a slightly related note, I thought I would mention that when I was in Australia (and they probably do this other places) they charge you per ketchup packet (and they don’t have packets like we do, they have these dip/squeeze ones there already). I noticed when I was there my ketchup consumption dropped a lot because a) the ketchup or “tomato sauce,” as they call it, doesn’t taste like ours does, it’s too sweet BUT mostly b) I didn’t want to pay 10-20 cents per ketchup packet!
So that could be one way to deter people taking more than they need.
Really like what you’re doing with this blog–i’ll add you to my blog roll =]
Honestly, I think it’s equally likely. I’m on the fence if I think it’ll create more waste. The biggest problem I see with the ketchup packets is that you’ve given them whether you want them or not. Places automatically toss them in your bag of food, even when you specifically tell them you *don’t* need packets. So maybe the first thing businesses could do would be to stop giving them automatically and instead ASKING the customer if they’re desired. However, since the cost will increase, perhaps that will happen automatically.
For me personally, I just have a big container where I store all the extra sauce packets I get. Eventually they get used, and it doesn’t hurt anything to store them until they’re needed. I know most people do just chuck them though, so that in and of itself is a different problem.
Kelly, coins for condiments is a great idea. The McD’s I worked at had a similar arrangement, but only for the chicken dipping sauces. I found it funny that there was a hierarchy of condiments.
You got one sauce free with 6 nuggets, two free with the larger packs. then it was 25 cents each…But I’m pretty sure that was the franchise’s rule. From what I saw, I would bet that charging for every ketchup packet after the first would cut wastage in half.
Allie, I coudln’t agree more on the need to *ask* if customers want ketchup. And to *listen* to the answer or when customers say they don’t want any. I tried to be very attentive to customers ketchup desire or lackthereof…
Wow, suprisingly I never knew this. Maintain up with excellent posts. 3332