Apacket orsachet is a small bag or pouch, made frompaper,foil,plastic film or another type ofpacking material, often used to containsingle-use quantities of foods or consumer goods such asketchup orshampoo. Packets are commonly opened by making a small rip or tear in part of the package, and then squeezing out the contents.
Condiments distributed in packets includeketchup,mustard,mayonnaise,salad cream,HP sauce,relish,tartar sauce,vinegar andsoy sauce. They provide a simple and low-cost way of distributing small amounts of condiment with ready-to-eat packaged food such ashot dogs,French fries, orhamburgers, and are common infast food restaurants. The packets produce less contamination and mess than freely available condiments dispensed into smalldisposable cups or other containers, especially if the food will be in transit before dining. Potpourri fragrances are also sold in sachets. Potpourri sachet envelopes are filled with scented herbs and flowers or use vermiculite containing aromatic fragrance oil. These are known as potpourri wardrobe sachets. InArgentina andUruguay, milk and yogurts are also sold in packets.
In 1983, the Indian company Cavin Kare began sellingshampoo in small plastic packets instead of large bottles in order to make it more affordable to the poor.[1] Sale of small amounts of shampoo and detergents in plastic packets is very popular throughout thePhilippines,India and other Eastern countries.[2] In 2011, 87% of shampoo sold in India was in sachets.[3]
Some packets are made of materials with known porosity to allow vapors from the pouch to escape. These pouches, also calledsachets, can be placed in other packages to help control the atmosphere. Uses include:volatile corrosion inhibitors,desiccants,oxygen scavengers, etc.
Benjamin Eisenstadt invented a machine that produced the modern sugar packet after a failed endeavor to package and sell tea bags, later packaging other items, includingsauces.[5]
The Sanford Redmond designed the no mess dispenSRpak for one handed operation. Introduced into Australia in 1990, it is used in other countries, but the design has not been widely licensed in the USA.[6][7][8][9]
In 2010, theH. J. Heinz Company designed a new ketchup packet. The new design was made with a cup and easy tear, thus making it easier to dip food without a plate along with holding three times as much ketchup.[10][11] It has not been widely adopted.[5]
Water sachets or sachet water is a common form of sellingpre-filtered or sanitized water in plastic, heat sealed bags in parts of the global south, and are especially popular inAfrica.[12] Water sachets are cheaper to produce thanplastic bottles, and easier to transport.[13] In some countries, water vendors refer to sachet water as "pure water".[14][15][16]
High demand, and poor collection of waste fromconsumers, has resulted in significantplastic pollution and waste from sachets throughout theWest Africa.[12][14] Accumulation of sachets frequently causes blockedstormwater drainage, and other issues.[14] Some countries, such asSenegal, have banned disposable sachets.[12]
Because sachets are frequently filled in small and often unregulated facilities, inadequate sanitary conditions can occasionally result in disease or contamination.[17][13] However, in countries likeGhana consumers still prefer that access over other forms of venders, with a perception of lower risk.[13] This form of water distribution provides vital access to water in communities that otherwise would not have it. However, some scholars have identified this method of distribution as having potential human rights and social justice issues, limiting theright to water and sanitation.[13][18]InCollinsville, Illinois, the largest ketchup packet was created byH. J. Heinz Company for a fundraiser for the Collinsville Christian Academy. People could buy a bottle of ketchup for $1 to add to the ketchup packet. After it was filled, it weighed 1,500 lbs. and it was 8 ft × 4 ft (2.4 m × 1.2 m) across and 9.5 in (240 mm) thick.[19][20]
Annual production of ketchup packets by Heinz alone is 11 billion.[21]
Plastic sachets are a major contributor to litter and pollution, especially in low-income countries where many more household goods are sold in sachets in small quantities.
In June 2022, aReuters report revealed thatUnilever had lobbied the governments ofIndia and thePhilippines to stop legislation which would ban the sale of cosmetics in single-use plastic sachets, despite vowing in 2020 to stop using them.[22] The design of these sachets had been called 'evil' by Hanneke Faber, Unilever's President for Global Food and Refreshments, 'because you cannot recycle it'. The bans were then dropped by lawmakers. InSri Lanka, the company pressed the government to reconsider a proposed ban on sachets, and then tried to manoeuvre around the ban after regulations were implemented. Unilever sells 40 billion plastic sachets each year.[22]
