Noise pollution

Frito-Lay is facing a backlash over its noisy bags in the U.S., but not in Canada

October 21, 2010

Add as preferred on Google(opens in a new tab)

A promise to curb pollution has been a key selling point for SunChips—an ad shows the brand’s compostable bag breaking down into soil. But for its U.S. customers, noise pollution has proven a bigger concern. In a video on his blog, one air force pilot deemed the bags, which crinkle more noisily than previous packaging, louder than “the cockpit of my jet.” A Facebook group called, “Sorry but I can’t hear you over this SunChips bag” has over 49,000 members.

All this uproar caused Frito-Lay to announce it will stop using the packaging for most of its snacks. (SunChips Original will keep the noisy bags, a spokesperson said, adding that it’s working on a quieter version.) In Canada, the bag’s noise seemed to fall on deaf ears: Frito-Lay Canada says it’s had a positive response to the bags, and will keep the biodegradable packaging as is: noisy, but green.

Tags:

Kate Lunau

Kate Lunau is a health and science writer at Maclean’s Magazine, who previously reported for the Montreal Gazette. She’s the recipient of several journalism awards, including the 2014 Yves Fortier Earth Science Journalism Award, and has been nominated for two National Magazine Awards. Like Elon Musk, she hopes to retire on Mars.