Philadelphia, PA - Why do Canadians drink milk in bags? The reusability of reusable plastic jugs seems to be less appealing to American consumers. In fact, it appears that only half of Canadian milk drinkers use reusable plastic jars, and many young Ontarians do not even know what a jug is. But that is changing as more people opt to buy milk in bags.
Here's Why Canadian Milk Often Comes In Bags
Canucks Drink Milk Out Of Bags
Canucks drink milk out of bags, a trend that began in the late 1960s. Before DuPont plastic milk bags were invented, Canadians used glass bottles. However, they weren't cost-efficient to produce and didn't conform to metric standards. With the introduction of plastic milk bags, the problem of glass bottles was solved. Today, Canadians drink milk from bags primarily in Quebec, Ontario, and the Maritimes. While the Americans drink milk out of cartons, Canadians do not.
History Of Bagged Milk
Throughout the 1970s, Canada adopted the metric system and, as a result, began selling milk in bagged form. At the same time, the volume of milk in Canadian cartons was imperial, and the conversion required retooling the manufacturing process to accommodate the new unit. Luckily, the transition to bagged milk was painless. In 1978, the metric system became the norm in Ontario, where bagged milk has since become the de facto standard.
American Consumers Don't Seem To Be As Interested In Reusable Plastic Jugs
One of the most apparent reasons to ditch single-use jugs is the environment. Glass jugs made from recycled glass weigh a lot and makeup one-third of the total weight of a delivery truck. By contrast, plastic and glass jugs only make up about five percent of the total weight.
Bagged Milk Is More Convenient
In addition to Canadians drinking bagged milk, many countries also sell milk in bags. Countries like Hungary, the Baltic rim, and Eastern Europe use milk bags. In the late 1990s, bagged milk became popular in Australia when the Shepparton-based company Ducats began distributing the products. They were marketed as a convenient way to buy milk and were originally half-gallon in size. Now, most milk is sold in bagged forms, although some brands still do not offer this option.
The Snippet Is A Safe Way To Open Milk Pouches
Using a knife or scissors to open a milk pouch requires a particular skill, and the hole you create may not be deep enough, leading to spillage. The Snippet is a magnetized doodad that makes opening pouches easy. It was invented in 1978 by a Canadian man named John Ostrovsky. He was inspired to create it after having a nightmare where his son Kevin would accidentally cut himself using kitchen scissors. Since then, the Snippet has been a staple on Canadian refrigerators.
