# Bubble wrap is no more - WHY? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 11, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859 "2015-07-11T15:23:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MmeRose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee7513/32.png) [@MmeRose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MmeRose)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/1 "2015-07-11T15:23:14Z")
There have been howls of protest, gnashing of teeth, tearing of hair, rending of garments. Does anybody know why they are discontinuing it? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/2 "2015-07-11T15:36:16Z")
It’s not being discontinued; where did you hear that was the case? What is happening is that a new product was introduced by the company that invented bubble wrap. It might be more useful in certain applications. (And perhaps more importantly, as a new prouct, it will almost certainly be protected by patent. Unlike common bubble wrap.) See [previous thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=761115). ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/3 "2015-07-11T15:39:28Z")
Beaten to it while I was researching, since the OP provided no links. Here’s proof they’re not discontinuing. [The World Isn't Ending, Bubble Wrap Is Here To Stay](http://www.buzzfeed.com/javiermoreno/bubble-wrap-isnt-going-anywhere#.vfQEjvjOV8) ---
**Author:** ![MmeRose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee7513/32.png) [@MmeRose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MmeRose)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/4 "2015-07-11T16:05:23Z")
Apologies, everyone. I heard it on NPR’s “Wait, Wait” just now. I tried to search for previous threads on the subject but obviously did something wrong. Would take down the post if I knew how. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/5 "2015-07-11T16:15:09Z")
Your posts are your permanent record on the SDMB. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/6 "2015-07-11T16:24:43Z")
In all seriousness, one problem for Sealed Air (the company that invented bubble wrap) is that because of competition, the margins on the product are quite low. (And that’s not helped by the fact that it’s a bulky product and so it’s expensive to ship.) So even though they might well decide to stop making traditional bubble wrap, other companies will almost certainly continue to do so. The new product has the bubbles connected in a row by an air chamber, and that means that the product can be shipped flat and then inflated as needed. So it’s less expensive to ship. (One roll of this new product replaces perhaps fifty rolls of the traditional stuff.) See [this article](http://www.wsj.com/articles/revamped-bubble-wrap-loses-its-pop-1435689665) from the Wall Street Journal. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/7 "2015-07-11T17:18:52Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > it’s a bulky product and so it’s expensive to ship. Do they ship it in packing peanuts? ---
**Author:** ![MmeRose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee7513/32.png) [@MmeRose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MmeRose)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/8 "2015-07-11T17:49:49Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Your posts are your permanent record on the SDMB. 😉 Oooohhhhh (hides head in shame). ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/9 "2015-07-11T18:26:15Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Do they ship it in packing peanuts? No. Bubble wrap. At least, it looked that way when I got the box. But I kept unwrapping and never got to the product. Oh, wait… ---
**Author:** ![Curid1992](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Curid1992](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Curid1992)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/10 "2015-07-11T20:00:59Z")
> [@MmeRose](#): > > There have been howls of protest, gnashing of teeth, tearing of hair, rending of garments. > > Does anybody know why they are discontinuing it? a) It’s not being discontinued b) Why did you create this thread, when there was one already open about bubble wrap in MPSIMS? ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/11 "2015-07-11T20:04:46Z")
> [@MmeRose](#): > > Apologies, everyone. I heard it on NPR’s “Wait, Wait” just now. I tried to search for previous threads on the subject but obviously did something wrong. Would take down the post if I knew how. > [@Curid1992](#): > > a) It’s not being discontinued > b) Why did you create this thread, when there was one already open about bubble wrap in MPSIMS? Curid1992, why didn’t you read the thread before posting? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Kzbre5m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kzbre5m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kzbre5m)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/12 "2015-07-11T20:50:52Z")
Okay, everyone calm down. No need for all this fuss. Here – you, you, and especially _you_ – here’s some bubble wrap to play with. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/13 "2015-07-11T22:57:42Z")
pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop … ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/14 "2015-07-11T23:55:26Z")
> [@Curid1992](#): > > b) Why did you create this thread, when there was one already open about bubble wrap in MPSIMS? Because it was a General Question. > [@](#): > > Does anybody know why they are discontinuing it? We are, believe it or not, allowed to open threads on the same subject in different forums. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/15 "2015-07-11T23:59:15Z")
The bubbles where taking up room so now there will no more bubbles to pop. It has to with storage space according to the news I heard. We should protests to save the bubbles ! LOL! ---
**Author:** ![MmeRose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee7513/32.png) [@MmeRose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MmeRose)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bubble-wrap-is-no-more-why/724859/16 "2015-07-12T01:18:32Z")
Thank you to people for support, I was almost too intimidated to post again.