The Uncertain HourI've always wondered ...Econ Extra Credit with David BrancaccioRace and EconomyMake Me Smart Daily

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Packaging

The marketing tactics behind those odd weights and sizes you see at the supermarket

by Marielle Segarra
Oct 30, 2019
Eleven and a half ounces of coffee in a package, 19.4 ounces of dish soap in a bottle. Could it be the "difficult comparison effect" at play?
When competing brands come in different-sized bottles, it's hard to compare prices. And maybe that's the point.
Marielle Segarra/Marketplace
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For online retailers, packaging is all about economics

by Kristin Schwab
Mar 6, 2018
Online retailers are trying to cut down on package waste. But designing a new box for everything a company ships takes a lot of time.
Anton Cotaj at ANAMA Package and Container Testing tests boxes on a machine that simulates road conditions.
Kristin Schwab/ for Marketplace
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I've always wondered ...

Why do snack companies always change their packaging?

by Jana Kasperkevic
Jun 5, 2017
Hint: they want you to buy more snacks.
Would this package design catch your eye? Cheez-Its on sale at a local Chicago supermarket.
Jana Kasperkevic/Marketplace
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I've always wondered ...

Cream cheese has a history wrapped in tin foil

by Jana Kasperkevic
Apr 26, 2017
Why is the packaging so difficult to reuse?
Cream cheese bricks come in handy when making a cheesecake, but the foil packaging is not exactly reusable.
Victor Chavez/Getty Images
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Why your package of bacon hides its glorious fat

by Kai Ryssdal and Bridget Bodnar
Sep 14, 2016
The front of your package of super market bacon is a lie.
Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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Final Note

Bubble wrap abandoning its signature pop

by Kai Ryssdal
Jul 2, 2015
Say goodbye to your childhood obsession.
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By The Numbers

Where can I recycle all this wrapping paper?

by Dan Weissmann
Dec 26, 2013
That dramatic increase in deliveries this time of year means an increase in the trash from all the packaging.
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Budweiser ties one on to boost sales

by Queena Kim
May 6, 2013
Bud releases a new can today shaped like a bow-tie and tests the theory that packaging alone can pay off.
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Food and Drink

How packaging impacts what beverages we buy

by Jeremy Hobson
Sep 24, 2012
A familiar scenario: You're thirsty. You walk into the store to buy something to drink. But you're not exactly sure what you want, and you're inundated with choices.
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