Silence Is Golden: Frito-Lay Releases a Quieter Compostable SunChips Bag

It was one of the most depressing news stories of last year: Frito-Lay introduced a compostable bag for its SunChips range—and then so many people complained about how noisy it was that the company quickly pulled it and reverted to non-biodegradable plastic. Indeed, if ever there was a headline that made me think that the great American consumer deserves all the havoc that climate change is going to throw at us, this was it.

The good news, however, is that Frito-Lay didn't give up on humanity (even if I did). According to a new ABC report, the company "spent a good chunk of last year trying to find a solution" to tone down the packaging's high-volume crinkle-tone, before achieving success:

The company found that if it used a different adhesive to put together the two layers of a bag—one which protects the food on the inside and one which carries the logo and labels on the outside—it created a sort of noise barrier.

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The redesigned bag apparently has a crinkle-output of just 70 decibels, which is pretty standard for chip bags, and noticeably quieter than its 95 decibel predecessor. For now, Frito-Lay has announced that it is only using the new packaging for their plain flavored chips, and, with understandable caution, "will wait to hear from customers before deciding whether to use the new packaging for other flavors or products."

So, SunChips eaters: This is your chance to redeem yourself, support the use of a more environmentally-friendly packaging material, and maintain your auditory acuity, all in one go. Look out for the new bag in stores, and, this time, please don't complain!

Photo: The original, loud compostable SunChips bag via Brand Sundae.