This is the "Why do they do that?" thread

[OceanDude]

Had to start this thread to get answers about things that make no apparent sense on the surface but you know deep down there must be a reason for it.

First Question.

Why do Protein Powder manufacturers package 2 lbs of protein in what must be at least 3 lb containers with all that wasted space?

[Mudge]

They always talk about settling, hmm dunno!

[butterfly]

That is a DAMN good question OD!!! Maybe it's so they can charge higher shipping costs

[OceanDude]

I had a couple of theories:
1) The container manufacturing companies are trying to force standard sizes and had anticipated that the US would have converted to metric by now and those are like 5 kilo sizes and it backfired when consumers refused to buy "more" product.
2) They need a high volume of air over the product to keep it from becoming explosive due to static and very fine particle size during shipping.

These are my most wild guesses. Would love to hear the real reasons if anyone has friends or family in the container business.

[Twin Peak]

Ah, the conspiracy theories. We are having this exact problem now with Leptigen. We know how much product we want in on can. We know by WEIGHT. Weight and size are not linear. Density of the ingredients varies. Density also varies as the tempeture varies. And so we have an approximate size. Then we need room for the flavoring agent, another 10% in volume or so. Then we need to get the closest fit, from premade cans, as custom are crazy expensive. And we need to order it in advance so the product is ready, and we need to purchase several thousand. So, it needs to be large enough, just in case, and for when its at its largest volume. So we preorder.

Then it ships, and it settles, and in some places it decreases volume further.

And we did the best we could.

And if you don't like it, sod off.

[Mudge]

It would cost them more to ship, meaning less containers fitting in a 48-53 footer, so I dont think it would be profitable for them since they dont profit from shipping either way.

[JB_427]

If your going to cheat and get two big macs, and super size fries and a 10 piece nugget, why on earth do you get diet coke with that???

[OceanDude]

OK I think I figured this out.

I was inclined to think it was the plastics people who contrived this whole thing. But now I am getting more and more convinced that it was a miscalculation from a stupid marketer who did not know how to calculate volume that set in motion the tradition of over sizing everything. Everyone was happy with the screw up since everyone could make money. The plastic supplier could sell more plastic to the container wholesaler. The first guy buying the containers for the original powdered protein wholesaler figured that he could justify the higher package price by telling his boss that it would “look bigger” on the store shelves and make people want to buy their product over others. The same guy then took a kick back from the crooked plastics sales agent under the table when he got his fat bonus check from record plastics sales. Then when other marketers from other supplements figured that anyone could buy protein from the exact same wholesalers and that they could put it in their own containers with their own labels they just copied the tradition of getting larger containers – after all it seemed to work like magic. Since the mob was involved with the whole distribution chain (plastics, label making, advertising, fitness magazines, shipping and product ) and could make money at every point in the whole supply chain they blessed the practice and it became the unspoken law.

See these things are simple once you think them through.

[Mudge]

The Mega Mass 2000 used to be pretty full, but I have also gotten 5 pound containers (forget brand) and the bucket holds more than a gallon, so litterally the container was about half full.