Q: Could the new milk jug adopted by Wal-mart be the beginning of an era where environmental concerns take precedence over consumer preferences?
| posted by Fast Company staff
Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, and Costco have adopted a newly designed gallon milk jug.
Pros: cheaper shipping (the new shape takes up less space), lower costs (at Sam's Club costs have gone from $2.18 to $2.58 a gallon), fresher milk and more eco-friendly (no milk crates necessary and water use is reduced.)
Cons: messy spills (no spout), hard to pour.
Interestingly, supermarkets have pledged to continue using the new milk jug, despite consumers who aren't quite happy with it.
I don't necessarily think this means we are entering an era in which environmental concerns take priority over consumer preferences – although in this case it seems that way. Rather, we're entering an era in which most products will start being designed keeping both environmental concerns and user friendliness in mind. Achieving both is what's key and here's where there will be plenty of scope for innovative ideas. This version of the milk jug will not be the last – it will keep being improved upon. How about a spout that pops out when pressed, or a separately retailed, more durable spout that fits neatly into a hole in the jug and that people buy just once and then hang on to?
Not if they stumble out of the gate like new milk jug. The news I saw showed the jug leaking and interviewed a few people who think the idea is silly. Remember: "You don't get a second chance to make a first impression." Randy
Why don't we just use cartons, like they do in Europe? (French Milk Carton) Or like the rectangular soy milk cartons? Why do we have to have excess and have gallons of milk anyway? Seriously though, we'd probably be better off having the delivery guy come with the bottles of milk, and when we're done we clean them, put them out on the porch for pickup, and then they're reused. Of course this doesn't solve the transportation side of this issue. It only speaks to packaging side of the equation. But there's probably a solution for the use of oil too -- the delivery guy can use a scooter or something.
The driver here is not the environment, its handling and logistics: far less restocking; no need to create a reverse distribution system for the crates; reduced washing/heating/drying/chemicals/water-treatment for the crates; fewer trucks and therefore less energy and carbon associated with each gallon of shipped milk. The environment is a beneficiary, but not the driver. How Wal-Mart sells it to consumers is through lower costs - costs that will stay lower vs all less efficient systems. The greatest benefits and cost savings will flow to Wal-Mart.
Sadly, it is the beginning of a larger movement. There have been previous green packaging redesigns, but with Wal-Mart's participation this packaging trend will probably continue. More on this in my blog.
In my eyes, Wal-Mart has always been the Big Bad Wolf, a corporate institution that is emblematic of all that is wrong and soul-less in this world. A bit harsh, perhaps. But any time Wal-Mart adopts a green practice and then decides to stick to it (even at the expense of some consumers!), I have to stand up and applaud. Sure, this is probably cost-effective and self-interested, but so what? Wal-Mart and Poland Spring have set great examples for Green Packaging, and I hope more companies follow suit. The jugs may be a lousy pour, but the milk stain on my shirt makes me feel Green.
Why do we have to choose? I don't see why both needs can't be satisfied with an improved design that is both environmentally responsible and attractive to consumers.
That this happens to be a bad design does not mean that business efficiency and the related energy savings are at odds with consumer needs. Wal-Mart incorrectly assumes that customers will roll over for whatever business practices they adopt. Consumers have been and will continue to be accommodating to businesses who seek some efficiency, whether it's a 'green' effect or just good business sense. When it's a bad idea or design and it's done for purely selfish motives though, expect market failure.
It could be. But was designing in a spout for a no-spill pour that difficult? I see this as a simple design mistake rather than a company choosing to be environmentally responsible ignoring consumer needs.
I don't think so. I admire the new milk jug for it's efficiency, but the fact that people have difficulty pouring it is a design flaw, not the beginning of a trend. In fact, trends are toward both sustainable and user centered design. This question alludes to a false dichotomy that people often take as a given. Great design is about optimizing the most important concerns regarding a given product. I predict future super jugs that pour with ease.
Yes, but more because of the economics of the situation than environmental concerns. The new milk jug is a perfect example -- retailers are saving a fortune in fuel costs by more efficiently cramming milk jugs into their shipping containers. Consumers are going to buy milk even if the jug makes it harder to pour and the retailer makes more money. When economics line up with environmental concerns, then consumer choice for waste loses out.
I don't think its about that. It's clearly about cutting cost for dairy farmers to move and "jug" their milk. There's never a reason to take consumer preference out of the picture...after all marketing's all about consumer preferences. Most companies spend millions on creating them, why not just cater to the ones they already have?
The Build Green Co., manufacturer of TBGC patent-pending, eco-friendly, Hybrid Steel/Foam Structural Insulated Wall Panel System (HSIPS), has expanded to the Scottsdale Airpark.
The rapidly growing company's versatile, structural exterior wall system, was recently
selected, by the Alcantara Vineyard and Winery, located a few minutes south of Sedona, for their 87 acre, multi-million dollar development. TBGC recently installed the TBGC wall system, at Alcantara, for the nation's first "Build Green" winery Barrel House, which must maintain a temperature of 58 degrees, and will be featured in the Small Wineries of the USA Journal.
Owners Bob Predmore, an engineer for Intel, and one of the founding members of the ASU Sustainability Program, and his wife Barbara, a descendant of a prominent California vintner family, are extremely "green conscious" and researched many eco-friendly structural systems, prior to selecting The Build Green Co. exterior wall system. The Predmores, stated, "TBGC HSIP, far exceeds any component on today's market". Next on Alcantara's agenda is construction of their 8800 Sq. Ft., combined personal residence, winery headquarters, and B&B. Alcantara also plans to build an Italian Bistro, 10 Casitas, and a limited number of Vineyard Estate homes, which includes vineyards traversing thru the individual estate properties. The Build Green Company will provide the structural wall systems for the development.
The ASU Del E. Webb School of Construction and Engineering is considering a cooperative program with TBGC, that would provide opportunities for engineering and construction students, to gain practical knowledge, by working at The Build Green Company facility.
Jacobs Engineering, an $8B in sales in 2007, worldwide real estate and economic development consulting firm, with a strong presence in Phoenix, has extended an invitation to TBGC, to give a sustainability presentation, to their top engineers and architects.
16 Total
July 2, 2008 at 12:24pm by Saabira Chaudhuri
Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, and Costco have adopted a newly designed gallon milk jug.
Pros: cheaper shipping (the new shape takes up less space), lower costs (at Sam's Club costs have gone from $2.18 to $2.58 a gallon), fresher milk and more eco-friendly (no milk crates necessary and water use is reduced.)
Cons: messy spills (no spout), hard to pour.
Interestingly, supermarkets have pledged to continue using the new milk jug, despite consumers who aren't quite happy with it.
I don't necessarily think this means we are entering an era in which environmental concerns take priority over consumer preferences – although in this case it seems that way. Rather, we're entering an era in which most products will start being designed keeping both environmental concerns and user friendliness in mind. Achieving both is what's key and here's where there will be plenty of scope for innovative ideas. This version of the milk jug will not be the last – it will keep being improved upon. How about a spout that pops out when pressed, or a separately retailed, more durable spout that fits neatly into a hole in the jug and that people buy just once and then hang on to?
Here's a picture of the new jug.
July 2, 2008 at 12:34pm by Carel Two-Eagle
It's possible, if enough consumers insist on it.
July 2, 2008 at 12:48pm by Randy McCarty
Not if they stumble out of the gate like new milk jug. The news I saw showed the jug leaking and interviewed a few people who think the idea is silly. Remember: "You don't get a second chance to make a first impression." Randy
July 2, 2008 at 1:22pm by Lynne d Johnson
Why don't we just use cartons, like they do in Europe? (French Milk Carton) Or like the rectangular soy milk cartons? Why do we have to have excess and have gallons of milk anyway? Seriously though, we'd probably be better off having the delivery guy come with the bottles of milk, and when we're done we clean them, put them out on the porch for pickup, and then they're reused. Of course this doesn't solve the transportation side of this issue. It only speaks to packaging side of the equation. But there's probably a solution for the use of oil too -- the delivery guy can use a scooter or something.
I just saw a CBS video of this new jug, and it really doesn't look like a smart idea.
July 2, 2008 at 2:41pm by Nie Ren
The driver here is not the environment, its handling and logistics: far less restocking; no need to create a reverse distribution system for the crates; reduced washing/heating/drying/chemicals/water-treatment for the crates; fewer trucks and therefore less energy and carbon associated with each gallon of shipped milk. The environment is a beneficiary, but not the driver. How Wal-Mart sells it to consumers is through lower costs - costs that will stay lower vs all less efficient systems. The greatest benefits and cost savings will flow to Wal-Mart.
July 2, 2008 at 3:21pm by Kevin Ohannessian
Sadly, it is the beginning of a larger movement. There have been previous green packaging redesigns, but with Wal-Mart's participation this packaging trend will probably continue. More on this in my blog.
July 2, 2008 at 3:58pm by Rip Empson
In my eyes, Wal-Mart has always been the Big Bad Wolf, a corporate institution that is emblematic of all that is wrong and soul-less in this world. A bit harsh, perhaps. But any time Wal-Mart adopts a green practice and then decides to stick to it (even at the expense of some consumers!), I have to stand up and applaud. Sure, this is probably cost-effective and self-interested, but so what? Wal-Mart and Poland Spring have set great examples for Green Packaging, and I hope more companies follow suit. The jugs may be a lousy pour, but the milk stain on my shirt makes me feel Green.
July 2, 2008 at 7:42pm by kenneth ringgold
SUV's were a consumer preference not to long ago & look what happened to our gas situation. It is about time we all become more "green".
July 2, 2008 at 9:24pm by Susan Besemer
Why do we have to choose? I don't see why both needs can't be satisfied with an improved design that is both environmentally responsible and attractive to consumers.
July 2, 2008 at 11:40pm by Dorn Lynch
That this happens to be a bad design does not mean that business efficiency and the related energy savings are at odds with consumer needs. Wal-Mart incorrectly assumes that customers will roll over for whatever business practices they adopt. Consumers have been and will continue to be accommodating to businesses who seek some efficiency, whether it's a 'green' effect or just good business sense. When it's a bad idea or design and it's done for purely selfish motives though, expect market failure.
July 3, 2008 at 2:20am by Nettie Hartsock
That would be superb if it is!
July 7, 2008 at 4:55pm by Haewon Kye
It could be. But was designing in a spout for a no-spill pour that difficult? I see this as a simple design mistake rather than a company choosing to be environmentally responsible ignoring consumer needs.
July 9, 2008 at 12:54pm by Scott Doty
I don't think so. I admire the new milk jug for it's efficiency, but the fact that people have difficulty pouring it is a design flaw, not the beginning of a trend. In fact, trends are toward both sustainable and user centered design. This question alludes to a false dichotomy that people often take as a given. Great design is about optimizing the most important concerns regarding a given product. I predict future super jugs that pour with ease.
July 12, 2008 at 10:28am by Edward Sussman
Yes, but more because of the economics of the situation than environmental concerns. The new milk jug is a perfect example -- retailers are saving a fortune in fuel costs by more efficiently cramming milk jugs into their shipping containers. Consumers are going to buy milk even if the jug makes it harder to pour and the retailer makes more money. When economics line up with environmental concerns, then consumer choice for waste loses out.
July 24, 2008 at 8:39pm by Brian Rogers
Absolutely Not-
I don't think its about that. It's clearly about cutting cost for dairy farmers to move and "jug" their milk. There's never a reason to take consumer preference out of the picture...after all marketing's all about consumer preferences. Most companies spend millions on creating them, why not just cater to the ones they already have?
BR
July 28, 2008 at 7:10pm by Ron Harris
THE BUILD GREEN COMPANY BUILDS “GREEN WINERY”
The Build Green Co., manufacturer of TBGC patent-pending, eco-friendly, Hybrid Steel/Foam Structural Insulated Wall Panel System (HSIPS), has expanded to the Scottsdale Airpark.
The rapidly growing company's versatile, structural exterior wall system, was recently
selected, by the Alcantara Vineyard and Winery, located a few minutes south of Sedona, for their 87 acre, multi-million dollar development. TBGC recently installed the TBGC wall system, at Alcantara, for the nation's first "Build Green" winery Barrel House, which must maintain a temperature of 58 degrees, and will be featured in the Small Wineries of the USA Journal.
Owners Bob Predmore, an engineer for Intel, and one of the founding members of the ASU Sustainability Program, and his wife Barbara, a descendant of a prominent California vintner family, are extremely "green conscious" and researched many eco-friendly structural systems, prior to selecting The Build Green Co. exterior wall system. The Predmores, stated, "TBGC HSIP, far exceeds any component on today's market". Next on Alcantara's agenda is construction of their 8800 Sq. Ft., combined personal residence, winery headquarters, and B&B. Alcantara also plans to build an Italian Bistro, 10 Casitas, and a limited number of Vineyard Estate homes, which includes vineyards traversing thru the individual estate properties. The Build Green Company will provide the structural wall systems for the development.
The ASU Del E. Webb School of Construction and Engineering is considering a cooperative program with TBGC, that would provide opportunities for engineering and construction students, to gain practical knowledge, by working at The Build Green Company facility.
Jacobs Engineering, an $8B in sales in 2007, worldwide real estate and economic development consulting firm, with a strong presence in Phoenix, has extended an invitation to TBGC, to give a sustainability presentation, to their top engineers and architects.
Ron Harris
General Manager/Chairman
The Build Green Company
www.thebuildgreenco.com