Grocery Stores Slammed for Excessive Mango Packaging Waste

As of October 12th, 2025, grocery stores are under increasing scrutiny for their excessive use of packaging, even for items that do not require any protection. A recent Reddit post highlighting the case of a mango wrapped in cardboard and plastic has sparked widespread discussion on the issue.

The original poster shared a photo of the mango, captioned "This mango at the grocery store with excessively much packaging." Many other Reddit users agreed that individually wrapping each mango for display is unnecessary and goes overboard. One commenter asked, "What could possibly be the purpose of this?" while another noted, "The mango doesn't need packaging, that's what its skin is for."

Experts warn that such excess packaging contributes to the growing problem of landfill pollution and waste. When non-biodegradable materials end up in landfills, they can take hundreds of years to break down, leaching microplastics into the environment and posing risks to wildlife. Additionally, the unnecessary packaging costs are passed on to consumers through higher product prices.

While some grocery chains, such as Colruyt in Belgium, have taken steps to minimize waste and increase recycling, the issue remains prevalent across the industry. Initiatives like using biodegradable materials and partnering with recycling programs are underway, but there is still significant work to be done to eliminate packaging waste from store shelves.