Hands: Is Product Packaging Literally a Pain in Your Hands?

 

Clam shell packaging may be great for manufacturers in their quest to deter theft and display wares, but if you have arthritis or degenerative joint issues with your hands you know what a problem this can be for the consumer.

 

Of course you could boycott these manufacturers but everything is being packaged this way so it is hard to be that selective. After struggling to liberate my purchases from the “protective” wrapping, the whole thing is mangled to the point where I feel guilty if I want to take it back for replacement or refund. 

 

You are not alone, if you find yourself fussing and fuming and maybe even swearing a little as you tussle with impenetrable plastic shelled packages.  Ellen Fix in an article for Arthritis Today (November/December 2009) provided some interesting statistics.  Did you know that 31,224 people went to the emergency rooms in the last five years with injuries related to trying to liberate something from the “protective” packaging that it came in?  It isn’t hard to imagine a sharp knife blade or a sturdy scissors getting away from you as you probe, pry and prod is it?

 

Some manufacturers have responded to consumer complaints and have started coming out with some frustration-free packaging, but I wouldn’t hold your breath.

Right now there is no easy way to open a clamshell packaged product.  Many of the devices made to ease the production are suspect and require considerable hand strength to operate, not to mention that they come especially packaged too.  People with arthritis or hand issues of any kind are at their mercy. Fortunately there are products available to reduce some of the pitfalls but it might take a little experimentation on your part to find the perfect fit.  Arthritis Today magazine did mention several that they found easier to use:  The Zibra Open It!  Universal Package Openers comes complete with a screwdriver for the adventuresome (sounds kind of like a Swiss Army Knife) and has soft-grip handles to help you hold on tightly while snipping away. This one is available through www.amazon.com.   Another one is called The Open Smart Plastic Package Opener which uses a puncture than pull method and is designed to make a smooth cut (www.opensmartproducts.com).  This sounds good to me because essentially this is what I am doing when I am trying to wing it using a knife or scissors, except for the smooth cut part.  I would be interested in hearing about success stories and spectacular finds.