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Photo: David Maxwell for The New York Times
The New York Times reports on a new milk jug container designed with a flat top and rigid sides allowing the containers to be stacked on a pallet using cardboard bands and shrink wrap instead of milk crates. Introduced by Sam's Club last November, the cardboard and plastic can be recycled, it eliminates the need to maintain and wash milk crates and reduces the typical number of weekly deliveries from 4-5 trips down to 2.
The redesign of the gallon milk jug, experts say, is an example of the changes likely to play out in the American economy over the next two decades. In an era of soaring global demand and higher costs for energy and materials, virtually every aspect of the economy needs to be re-examined, they say, and many products must be redesigned for greater efficiency.
But not everyone's happy, consumers are complaining that the new square design is hard to pour without spilling the milk as the jug has no real spout. It seems like that's a small consideration for Sam's Club who estimate this method of shipping has reduced labor by half and water usage by 60-70 percent. Sam's Club can now store 224 gallons of milk in a cooler that used to hold 80.
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Comments
wouldn't it be even greener if we adopted the Canadian milk bag system?
or better yet, returnable, reusable containers?
this is similar to the milk container design found in costco stores, and has been available there for a while now. although i haven't used one of these sam's club jugs, the costco ones are a bit difficult to pour. the diameter of the "spout" is just too large, and milk flows out too fast.
Interesting for WalMart to be making strides in the green direction! Seems like a design issue could solve this, though, right? Maybe a pour spout inside like Tide? Or, going to a "milk in the box" akin to boxed wine? Glad to see the gateway is open for ideas.
LOL, leave it to an executive to design a milk jug that has maximum space efficiency (square) but cannot pour correctly. Out of all the liquid containers ever produced they you would think they would have used a similar design.