Different packaging for different food

Egg box, 1953

In the past items such as canned fruit or pots of fish paste were sold already packaged. Most packaging, however, only needed to contain and protect food while the customer was taking it home. After self-service shopping was introduced it had to protect food from being handled by lots of customers.

As the shopkeeper no longer weighed or counted out each item, it had to contain set amounts. It also needed to be strong enough to be stacked on shelves.

This picture shows a Sainsbury’s egg box from 1953.  Before the introduction of self-service shopping eggs were just sold to customers in paper bags. Sainsbury’s experimented with several different types of packaging for eggs in the 1950s. This style was later replaced. It did not protect the eggs enough from being handled and could not be stacked.  Today Sainsbury’s egg boxes are strong, light and stackable.

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