Plastic pallets instead of boxes

[storewanderer]

The question would be, are they actually using more plastic?
Things like the multi rolls of paper items were already wrapped in plastic. Pallets were also usually wrapped that way (to keep them from falling apart in transit). So, it seems that all they did was eliminate the boxes, by putting the already wrapped packs of stuff on a pallet without any box and then still wrapping the whole thing together?

Tried to think of a concise way to describe this but can't.

What we have here is: this is 99 cents only. They have these single rolls of 150 paper towels (select a size) BIG brand at .9999.

Previously these came in big boxes probably 32 rolls of paper towels to a cardboard box. Each roll of paper towels is wrapped in very thin plastic with the color BIG labeling, UPC code, count/measurement, etc. The boxes stacked neatly on a pallet and entire pallet wrapped in plastic wrap but not a ton of plastic wrap around the pallet as the boxes were neatly stacked..

Now what we have is the same situation where each roll of paper towel is wrapped in very thin plastic with the color BIG labeling, UPC code, count/measurement, etc. However now every 8 single rolls is wrapped in a clear but super thick plastic wrapping with no print/labeling/UPC or anything (think of this as replacement for the box). Now these bundles of 8 towels are piled on the pallet but the plastic wrap around each 8 rolls is so think they no longer stack neatly. The solution to this problem to get the pallet to stay in pallet form is to increase the amount of plastic shrink wrap that goes around the pallet.

[storewanderer]

"Cardboard boxes that have tape which are common in most non-grocery retail (plastic tape almost always of course) are another issue, I have been told in a couple instances that you need to get the tape off the box in order for the cardboard to be recyclable/go into the baler. Also that the baler can get screwed up/stuff stuck to it if you put boxes with "loose" or "hanging" tape into the baler. Stickers would also be an issue but I've never heard you need to peel stickers pre-baler. Many grocery boxes have glue instead of tape so that is not an issue."

Is this a "new" thing?

I have never done, seen or heard about this.

It is unworkable in any place that does respectable volume. Imagine the hit to productivity?

I've never heard that. Must be a cardboard hauler without modern processing. My understanding is that the cardboard is recycled using some kind of process that makes it into a slurry and that the tape separates in that process. Plastic coated cardboard is a different story similar to coffee cups where they can't actually be recycled.

I only heard of it at one specific location but it was repeated to me by multiple people when I did not follow said directions because I either forgot or did not notice all the tape (like a box where I removed the tape from the top but forgot to remove from the bottom). Something about tape jamming the baler from going up and down. I was not in a position to question what I was being told. I certainly never followed or implemented that idea in the future anywhere I went.

[BillyGr]

The question would be, are they actually using more plastic?
Things like the multi rolls of paper items were already wrapped in plastic. Pallets were also usually wrapped that way (to keep them from falling apart in transit). So, it seems that all they did was eliminate the boxes, by putting the already wrapped packs of stuff on a pallet without any box and then still wrapping the whole thing together?

Tried to think of a concise way to describe this but can't.

What we have here is: this is 99 cents only. They have these single rolls of 150 paper towels (select a size) BIG brand at .9999.

Previously these came in big boxes probably 32 rolls of paper towels to a cardboard box. Each roll of paper towels is wrapped in very thin plastic with the color BIG labeling, UPC code, count/measurement, etc. The boxes stacked neatly on a pallet and entire pallet wrapped in plastic wrap but not a ton of plastic wrap around the pallet as the boxes were neatly stacked..

Now what we have is the same situation where each roll of paper towel is wrapped in very thin plastic with the color BIG labeling, UPC code, count/measurement, etc. However now every 8 single rolls is wrapped in a clear but super thick plastic wrapping with no print/labeling/UPC or anything (think of this as replacement for the box). Now these bundles of 8 towels are piled on the pallet but the plastic wrap around each 8 rolls is so think they no longer stack neatly. The solution to this problem to get the pallet to stay in pallet form is to increase the amount of plastic shrink wrap that goes around the pallet.

That makes sense - when you first described it you stated bundled in groups of 8, but I didn't see anywhere that you were talking about rolls meant to be sold singly.
Thus, it sounded like you were referring to packages of 8 rolls, which are always wrapped together (some may have double wrap, with each roll wrapped inside, others don't).

[Alpha8472]

Cardboard is very expensive now. It is cheaper to use plastic. All these dollar stores care about is cutting costs. Cardboard is recycled more than plastic.