Useless packaging

I was craving some chocolate so while I picked up a few essentials at the store I picked up an M&M 6-pack. These 'fun size' (and there's nothing fun about their size, they're tiny) packages come inside another package. All six packets of M&Ms fit easily in the bottom 1/3 of the package, the rest of the package is just...there.
 
Once home, I dragged in the box containing my friends new PC stuff from Tigerdirect that UPS had so kindly left sitting on my front porch, despite the fact that rain was on the way. As I parted out the pieces to begin the build, I noticed the OEM AMD CPU blister pack (yes those bastard things). You could easily fit 9+ CPUs in a package this size. The only other content of the blister pack was the small foam piece the CPU sits on and a piece of paper with a bar code at the bottom, the technical blurb and a minimalistic picture taking up the rest of the paper, except for at the bottom where it says "Please return this entire sheet if claiming a rebate. This entire sheet of paper constitutes proof of purchase." (Underline theirs, not mine). 
 
As I put the build together, munched down the M&Ms and jammed out to some of my favorite tunes, I started wondering..."WTF man, think how many more CPUs/M&Ms they could ship on the same truck if they reduced the size of the packaging, not to mention the cost of the packaging. And why do M&Ms need a cardboard back?"
 

mmmm M&M

Bigger packaging gives people the illusion that they're getting more for their money

......... and the Vita boxes are massively oversized for the tiny little game itself ........ why? They need to make sure it doesn't get lost on the shelf. At least the DS/3DS is just big enough for a decewnt sized manual.

When I played WoW I bought time card to keep my sub going and every time I bought a game-sized box for one credit-sized-card I could hear a distant tree somewhere crying.

Because America

Same reason PC games used to come in boxes large enough to require a real estate agent: because "lol".

Buncha reasons:

If it's something you buy in a store, bigger packages=harder to steal.

The AMD thing you pictured? Advertising.

Big box makes you think you're getting a better value.

Added padding/protection.

For your M&Ms, perhaps the big bag is the same size as the big bag they normally use, they just repurposed it for the minis (and seriously, microscopic M&Ms? Screw that, make mine softball-sized).

I'm more worried about you eating M&Ms and building a PC. Your expensive new components are at the whims of an errant M&M.

Because we don't want our goods being all flippy floppy

I'm more worried about you eating M&Ms and building a PC. Your expensive new components are at the whims of an errant M&M.

Same reason PC games used to come in boxes large enough to require a real estate agent: because "lol".

For all of your useless packaging needs I present the Zibra Open-It! Plastic clamshell packages be damned.

It's air packaging or something. It allows companies to be cheap, misleading buttholes. Or something.

i never understood that either. it seems like they would make it to feel like you get more but too much paper/trees.

I think there is a conspiracy by this companies *tin foil hat enabled*

I've helped my nephews open a lot of toys, holy shit do they tie those down these days.

Not just that. The stupid new game cases where the most important part (plastic behind the disc, and the manuals in some cases) are missing. This going green stuff needs to stop. But also stop wasting packaging like in your picture, that sucks too.

I never understood why they call them fun sized.

Another bogus practice besides 'fun size' is gradually reducing the weight of products while keeping the price - and often the package itself - the same .

Your first problem is that you bought the fun size pack of M&Ms. Fun size candy is not fun. Party size or larger is more fun. And while searching the largest bag of M&Ms in retail today, I discovered some horrible news.

Don't go in the stock room of a retail store.  Your heart will faint.  I've seen boxes inside boxes mere millimeters larger holding plastic items each with their own both bubble warp pouch and plastic bag.  Belts that come in big bags each in their own smaller bag and a yet smaller bag that covers only the buckle.  Packaging companies hate the environment.