Why is it so hard to open a bag of Oreos?

Why is it when I want to bust into a new bag of Oreos it is very hard to start a tear in the plastic…but once I get one started it tears along the same line easily. Anybody know what I’m talking about?

Clarification: do you mean, what is it about the physical properties of the Oreos bag that makes it hard to open, or why do the manufacturers insist on making the bags hard to open?

If it’s the latter, I have a WAG: to stop people “grazing” while shopping in the grocery store! By “grazing” I mean pilfering an Oreo by opening the packet and stealing it to munch on while walking around.

I am referring to the physical properties of just about any plastic bag. It just so happens that the bag I try to rip most ofter is an Oreo bag.

Grocery store managers are hoping that you don’t go shopping with a scissors in your pocket.

It so you have to eat the whole bag quickly before they go stale. The Man is trying to make us fat!!!

Actually, I don’t understand why they can’t have a fully-enclosed, reclosable bag like the Chips Ahoy! do… they’re made by the same company.

Take a look at this site,
http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/waac/wn/wn14/wn14-2/wn14-204.html, that discusses vapor barrier films.

Perhaps this “drawing” of the plastic makes it difficult to initially puncture, but easy to tear once you get it started?

I think it is to make sure that when opened, you can only consume so many before they go stale, you have to throw them away and buy more.

Gee, the problem I have is not being able to not open them.:wink: