Shopper expresses concern after seeing confusing item on store shelf: 'I'm at a loss for words'

Sometimes when you see brown paper packaging, you know a company has invested in environmentally friendly recycled materials. Sometimes the products are more wasteful than they seem. A frustrated shopper took to Reddit with a photo of one such item.

What happens?

“I don’t have the words for this,” the original poster said, attaching the photo. “Now we can buy four-leaf clovers. Individually packaged, of course.”

The photo shows brown cardboard packaging with what appears to be plastic windows displaying pressed and dried four-leaf clovers. The name printed on the packaging is “Glücksbringer”, a title that is reminiscent of images of good luck.

However, there were glaring problems with this approach.

“Then that wasn’t great luck for the environment,” emphasized one user in the comments.

“Then put it in a grocery bag when you buy it and then wrap it in paper as a gift!” said another commenter. “It’s like a competition to see how much packaging material can be used for one small thing.”

Why is packaging important?

Excessive packaging is a waste of money – a problem for businesses and shoppers – and a waste of resources – a problem for the environment. The unnecessary destruction of natural areas is especially frustrating when it is dressed up in the brown-and-green aesthetic of environmentally friendly companies.

Plastic is particularly harmful. Extracting petroleum for plastic pollutes the environment, and the plastic itself sheds tiny fragments that cause even more pollution.

There are more eco-friendly and fun ways to find a four-leaf clover, such as connecting with nature while searching for a clover yourself.

Is the company doing anything about it?

The packaged clover is produced by Die Stadtgärtner, an urban gardening company. On its website, the company claims: “We use sustainable materials such as soil, seeds, clay and FSC paper. So our products don’t leave any plastic waste behind, just colorful flowers.”

Most of the company's products revolve around seeds. These include seed bombs that you can throw onto the ground where they will eventually bloom – a nice idea for anyone who wants a low-effort garden.

However, this does not seem to apply to the clover product, which apparently uses plastic packaging.

What can I do about excessive packaging?

Whenever possible, use plastic-free packaging for the products you need. Whatever packaging you find, always recycle as much as possible.

In the meantime, spend some time with nature. The beautiful memories and little keepsakes you collect will be much more valuable than a store-bought four-leaf clover.

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