Redesigned Biodegradable Chips Bag Hopes to Silence Critics

It looks like people don't mind the crunch of snacking on chips, they just don't want to hear the bag. Normally making noise for an environmental cause is one way to be heard, but not in the case of SunChips' eco-friendly bag.

In an effort to appeal to environmentally conscious shoppers, Frito-Lay introduced a compostable bag for its SunChips products last year. The planet already has enough problems with excessive packaging and consumerism, so any efforts to reduce the amount of waste we produce is important. Made with potato peels, the bags were both plastic-free and they used a waste product. It was the ultimate form of upcycling.

However, the problem with the new packaging was too much for some to ignore. Consumers found the chip bag noisy and complained that it sounded too loud when handled, even comparing its deafening 95 decibels to noise levels in a jet cockpit and the sound of lawnmowers. Much to the chagrin of environmentalists, the criticism led Frito-Lay to sack its "green" bag and return to its old non-biodegradable plastic bag.

The problem with the old eco packaging was that the material used had an unusual molecular structure making the bag more rigid and brittle. To Frito-Lay's credit, the company spent much of last year trying to find a solution. Now green snackers can rejoice as Frito-Lay reintroduces a compostable bag for its plain-flavored chips.

The difference is this packaging uses another adhesive to attach two layers in a bag, which acts as a noise barrier. One layer protects the chips inside while the other carries the logo and labels on the outside. The new design muffles the sound to around 70 decibels, on par with the original packaging and other chip bags.

You can find the new bag in stores now.