Tesco's Laser-Etched Avocados to Save on Packaging Waste - Core77
www.core77.com
"Laser avocado" sounds like a Doritos flavor, but it's actually a packaging technique being trialed by Tesco. In a bid to reduce packaging waste, the UK supermarket chain is laser-etching avocados rather than using barcode stickers. And for their avocado products that come in twin packs, they're ditching the plastic

I’m sharing this because any reduction in unnecessary packaging waste is good for the planet - and because I think laser-etching avocados is funny. 🙂

  • Sludgehammer@lemmy.world
    English
    0·
    27 days ago

    Eh… I dunno. You’d be comparing the power consumption of the laser etching machine to the energy cost of shipping oil to make the plastic to make the label, shipping the raw plastic to a facility to actually print the labels, making the adhesive, then (probably) shipping the labels and adhesive to the packing plant and then adding in the power of the machinery to that actually sticks the label on.

    I have no real numbers here but I could see zapping a avocado with a laser being the more energy efficient one.

    • DarkThoughts@fedia.io
      0·
      26 days ago

      What label? I literally have not seen any sort of stickers on fruits & veggies in years. I only see packaging on softer produce that’s prone to damage, quick to dry out, or harder to carry due to size. But again, it’s an avocado.