Ready, Set, Re-design...styrofoam meat trays

Design Discussions general design discussion
1

Hi All,

In the vein of the previous BP oil leak discussion and the 1HDC, I would like to propose an open thread to tackle those mundane items of everyday life which could be better designed (esp. those things which seem to be hardly designed at all).

First up, Styrofoam meat trays.

Aside from the fact that they are only recyclable in some communities they seem to have many innate problems.

A cursory analysis-

  1. Are made in standard sizes so often the tray is a lot larger than the meat/fish and takes up extra floor space in the fridge.

  2. Are wrapped in plastic wrap so not really that well sealed.

  3. As wrapped in plastic wrap, if you stack multiple trays, the bottom stuff can get squished and depending on the size of the meat don’t stack so well.

  4. Once disposing, you need to crack them in half and take up a lot of space in the garbage can.


    Just to put out a few solutions (will maybe sketch some up later), how about - ?

  5. an extruded tray that can be cut to the right length to reduce waste?

  6. a tray that has an integrated hole to fill with marinate (with some sort of valve like a beach ball)?

  7. a tray that has perforated or recessed grid lines in it so you can easily break it down to smaller bits?

  8. some sort of extruded plastic tray that has both bottom and top integrated with a living hinge and can be cut to size?

Just seems like this is an area all set for a redesign given we’ve had the same meat trays for about 50 years…

R

2

What’s wrong with Butchers paper?

The meat tray and plastic wrap appears to be a marketing issue- supermarkets presenting lovely red meat all neatly packaged up and ready to go.

I say turn people away from wanting to look at meat- sell it so it still looks like it came from an animal- chicken drumsticks with the feet still attached, sheeps heads etc. Then no-one will want to look at it at all, and you can wrap it up in paper.

3

I say turn people away from wanting to look at meat- sell it so it still looks like it came from an animal- chicken drumsticks with the feet still attached, sheeps heads etc. Then no-one will want to look at it at all, and you can wrap it up in paper.

As a person that does quite a bit of cooking, I want to be able to see my meat. That is how I know how well of a cut I am getting. I partially agree with you thought and would love to see us go back to the times of having a butcher that knows his meat and helps you pick out the best cut for you needs. You pick it from a glass case and he wraps it in paper, and you are on you way. This knowledge has started to dwindle.

4

Lunar did a cool project shared on their podcast where they tried to pay homage to the animal that died… it’s in this one at aroun min7:30 (http://www.lunar.com/iconocast2/behold-beauty/)

I can’t find a picture of it, but they did some intricate “blood” paths in the packaging that makes a cool pattern as the meat drips in the package. Another concept was having images and history of the actual cow that was chopped up for the meat…

ALSO

I watched a great branding presentation recently about food literacy/illiteracy. People don’t really have a good idea where there food came from and how it can prevents us from making healthy choices with food. Packaging is a great opportunity to educate people about this kind of thing

5

What do you think about milk glass bottle approach? A thin reusable metal tray w/ biodegradable shrink wrap - at home rinse it out, drop it off at the store, where they can sanitize it and reuse?

Shallow Tetra Pak box?

I don’t eat meat, so I am not sure how much meat an average person eats, how many trays do people go through?

I have met an avid meat eater who never buys whole chicken because it looks too animal like. My point that it lacks feathers, head, legs, organs, and actually looks nothing like a chicken was not welcomed. Purchasing only chicken breasts in neat plastic trays, creating more waste than it is necessary because of some odd squeamishness. So, I’d be a fan of anything that makes people appreciate what they are eating. I’m def. going to check out that Lunar project, thanks.

6

I partially agree with you thought and would love to see us go back to the times of having a butcher that knows his meat and helps you pick out the best cut for you needs. You pick it from a glass case and he wraps it in paper, and you are on you way. This knowledge has started to dwindle.



I say turn people away from wanting to look at meat- sell it so it still looks like it came from an animal- chicken drumsticks with the feet still attached, sheeps heads etc. Then no-one will want to look at it at all, and you can wrap it up in paper.

The Arroyo Grande Meat Company, Arroyo Grande, California; Henry Gonzales, proprietor…

On any given day, if you enter Henry’s butcher shop via the back door (which I do) you may have to snake your way past two or three carcasses hanging from meat hooks on the overhead monorail trolley that runs from the loading dock to his cooler. There is absolutely no questioon in your mind that you are in a butcher shop. Henry slaughters and butchers for local ranchers who pay him, in part, with a portion of the animal. He guarantees that the other meat products (from commercial sources) that he proffers are less than forty-eight hours from slaughter. His grass-fed beef is unbelievable. He has his own smokehouse and produces some of the best bacon, and chops that I have ever tasted. Bar none. And it’s all packaged in pink butcher paper (for immediate consumption), or custom vacuum-packed for freezer storage.

The building he is in has been a butcher shop for over one hundred years, with a collection of photographs, some dim and faded 11 x 17 format, of previous owners. It has a hard to explain smell, not unpleasant as you would expect, but old and comfortable. Like the feeling you get when you walk by a bakery… but different. The only thing Henry’s shop lacks is saw dust on the floors.

And Henry knows his trade. You can ask him how to prepare anything, beef, chicken, pork, and seafood, and he will have several suggestions for you.

Certainly a bit more expensive than what I can pick up at the supermarket, but there’s no comparison in value to what Henry offers.

Of course, that is how the supermarket keeps their prices lower than Henry can; volume, and packaging. The “butcher” at the supermarket is seldom capable of cutting up a chicken, or even cutting a roast for me because almost everything they sell comes pre-cut from their suppliers … all they do is package it in those trays.

7

I love to buy meat from ‘real’ butchers shops, but my main issue is time. I won’t say that I couldn’t make time to get to the butchers on a weekend, but unless it is for a special event I always end up prioritising other things over running around all of the independent shops to buy my weekly meat, fish, vegetables, deli items etc. Supermarket’s main selling point for me is that everything is in one place, I can do my shop in half an hour and get out of there.

Going back to the original questions, why not just do away with the styrofoam tray and simply shrink wrap the meat? It doesn’t completely solve the enviro issues, but at least it is a big reduction in packaging and can easily be produced in different sizes.

8

Sure, there is nothing like buying meat from a butcher shop, and I do think that in general that is starting to become the way things are trending. Here in Toronto, there are several real butcher shops that source from local farms, and even offer butchering classes on how to break down a whole side of cow. There are also quite a few new restaurants that focus on local meat, make their own sausages, and even offer menus “nose to tail”.

That being said, those are in the minority, and meat in a supermarket, packaged in trays is still I’d guess 90% of the fresh meat that gets purchased (I’m not even going to get into the prepacked, frozen crap).

Hence, the idea for a new tray/delivery system.

I don’t think people would be willing to wash a tray out. Most people are not too keen on handling raw meat as it is.

How about something like is used for shredded cheese? A bag that has an integrated ziploc feature (so you can add marinate and pop back in the fridge/freezer), with a seal above that. Then the meat can hang on pegs, or be laid flat. You can then feel both sides of the meat since it is a bag, and see both sides. Printing of info can also easily be done. These could be packaged at the supermarket butcher shop and sealed on site with a simpler heat sealer.

Like this (without the terrible graphics) -

R

9

why not just do away with the styro-foam tray and simply shrink wrap the meat?

Presentation, presentation, presentation… you know how shrink-wrap makes meat look, all soft and lumpy, not at all like a “fresh cut”. And that’s what we all want, “fresh cut”.

And I think there may be an issue with the shrink-wrap getting snagged or cut (which would result in leaks, and compromise sanitation) while shoppers handle it when looking through the various packages in the cabinet.

A waxed paper tray? Maybe. Tetra-Pak? I hope not, they are having enough problems in China and the UK dealing with recycling Tetra-Pak containers as it is.

The recycling process seems to be the big issue. Containers left for recycle must be segregated in a separate curbside box because the aluminum/plastic film used tends to clog up “regular” paper pulping equipment. The actual recycling process must happen at a tetrapak oriented facility which has the equipment capable of separating the plastic and aluminum film from each other and the paper; this would mean additional transportation costs, and probably deters folks from even being bothered with the effort.

The recycle rate of TP containers in the UK has been only about 4% of the 2 BILLION TP containers consumed annually (ref 1) mostly attributed to inaccessibility of TP recycling centers. At one point consumers in the UK wishing to recycle were required to package empties, and ship them to a recycler at their own expense. Then, the only TP recycler in the UK closed in 2006 due to rising energy costs. Containers had to be shipped to Norway for recycling … there’s sustainability for you. There are currently several processors in the UK.

While TetraPak containers are well accepted in Asia (29% of the world market!), the recycle rate is currently low. And if you consider the energy/transportation requirements to recycle it is easy to understand why the rate is low. Tetra Pak China says in its first Environment Report that it has successfully recycled more than 4900 tons of waste, which are equivalent to 500 million Tetra Pak packages. With Chinese annual production expanding to 16 BILLION cartons (ref 2) they’re going to have to do better than that. A lot better.

But that discussion touched very close to this one, as observed by PackageID,

I think one of our biggest issues with this topic is more about education and awareness. We as humans need to be told and reminded what to do. This means that if there is a cool paper bottle that encourages people to recycle it or if possible reuse it then we will. Same with a plastic bottle. > If we quit designing things to be disposable and start encouraging reusability and recycling then that is the way to change things.

**Ref.: 360 Paper Bottle: NEW Saab 9-2 is a re-badge Subaru Inpreza

Which brings us nicely back to Melovescookies idea; reusable containers. Problem is, the cost of that hunk of chuck is going to have to go up to pay for washing all those reusable trays … but then, so would having a traditional butcher serve each customer individually at the supermarket (and it would be slower as well).

If I may idealize… maybe we should all just slow down and enjoy the process of feeding ourselves, not an easy job in the world today. I make time to go to Henry’s; I often have to wait for other customers to be served, but it gives me a chance to talk “cooking” with other folks, hear what, and how, they like to prepare their choices. And that bit of pink butcher paper that ends up in the recycle bin doesn’t take up much space.

10

Just playing Devil’s Advocate Richard… there’s nothing more infuriating than seeing one of those pink trays blowing down the street on trash day.

You may be onto something with the bag idea. And it could be flooded with inert nitrogen to keep it “red”.

11

OOO, you have pink trays? Ours are white. That changes everything! :wink:

R

12

We’ve got black trays here in our local Co-op hippie grocery stores. You read that right. Black.

13

What about the vacuum bags? They cover the fundementals well - protect/contain/distribute/market.

Like these but with a printed header and hanging holes.

14

Interesting topic.
Always black or blue styro over here.


On a bit of an related note:
I found an image last fall, with a designproblem I wanted to keep in the back of my head. But it ended up on the harddrive instead.
Its the styrofoam waste from one day at an asian fishmarket.
_-1.jpeg
_.jpeg

15

This is a cool challenge and I plan to put something together when I have time. In the mean time I found this on theDieline.com. All this needs is a window so I can see my product. It takes that paper feel and makes it friendly for the masses.
6a00d8345250f069e20120a546b79c970b-800wi.jpg
6a00d8345250f069e20120a59d923a970c-800wi.jpg

16

Another thing to think about is that most of this packing is done in the supermarket. I imagine these trays are used out of conveyance. Why not just redesign the tray. Make it out of a different material that can be recycled. Seems like a simple solution to me.

17

The real solution here is a time machine. The invention that killed the local small town butcher wasn’t supermarkets or automation, it was the refrigerated rail car (honestly, check out Modern Marvels: Meat, on History). Go back in time, tell people about the future of meat processing and you’ll have your butcher back.

18

Having a think about how meat is packaged in my local supermarket, it is in all these ways. Mostly the black styrofoam tray and clingfilm, but also shrinkwrap (big rumps usually, but also roasting chickens), in cardboard boxes (some part-processed ribs), in plastic bags (kangaroo- yum, all free range, a little gamey and hardly any cholesterol) and wrapped in paper (usually all the deli meat which someone wraps for you).

I think the issue is changing consumer expectations/ behaviour. If a supermarket decided to lead the market and went with a better system (cardboard/ tetra-pack/ reusuable) I can’t see a huge amount of people buying their meat elsewhere, otherwise they’d do it now- our local market is fresher and cheaper, just not as convenient.

I like the approach of the massive hypermarkets in Europe (Carrefour, Pryca)- it’s one huge supermarket but the meat section is like 10 butchers, the fish section takes up the whole back of the shop and is one long display of ice. The one’s in Spain have like 1000 hams hanging from the ceiling…mmmm…jamonnnn

19

I think the issue is changing consumer expectations/ behaviour. If a supermarket decided to lead the market and went with a better system (cardboard/ tetra-pack/ reusuable) I can’t see a huge amount of people buying their meat elsewhere, otherwise they’d do it now- our local market is fresher and cheaper, just not as convenient.

This is only true if the price increases. If one could change to a more green material and keep the price the same, it would not disrupt consumers and everything would remain the same.