The rage of the season

saxo-archive

Saturday, Dec. 29, 2007 | midnight

If instead of sugarplums dancing in your head Christmas morning you had visions of revving up a circular saw to open a children's toy as you struggled with the packaging, you were not alone.

Many new products, especially toys, are now coming entombed in heavily glued and tightly sealed plastic packages that are seemingly impervious to all but a blow torch. That has created what is being called “wrap rage,” the anger and frustration people experience trying to open these nearly impenetrable containers.

The manufacturers designed the packages to prevent shoplifters from walking off with the year's must-have items. Often known as clamshells for their shape and tenacity, the packages are not only deterring would-be thieves, but they also are making consumers think twice before buying.

One of the magazine's top dishonorees this year in Consumer Reports' “Oyster Awards,” which shame tough-to-open packages, were the Bratz Sisterz. The dolls had “about 50 restraints,” including cardboard, plastic, glue, tape, wires, rubber bands and string sewing the hair to the cardboard.

Consumer Reports gave a 7-year-old girl safety scissors and told her to open the Bratz dolls. “Eight minutes after she began, the child, noticeably agitated and breathing heavily, freed the dolls, which now looked as if they had just returned from a rough night on the town,” the magazine noted. “Our young tester resorted to ripping the dolls from the packaging. The Sisterz were missing clumps of hair, and strings, plastic tabs, and wires were everywhere. Some of the wires remained stuck around the dolls' arms.”

Just what every girl wants for Christmas.

Manufacturers are now trying to respond to the criticism by offering packages that are a bit easier to open, with significantly less plastic and paper. That is good for consumers and for the environment. At the same time, entrepreneurs are selling knives specially designed to open frustrating packages.

We expect those will be the must-have items next year.