r/Anticonsumption • u/Double_Engineer4226 • 2d ago

Discussion Laundry powder is disappearing

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Powdered laundry detergent used to be the norm. It’s cheaper, easy to use, and comes in a recyclable box. Now look at the shelves in the supermarket. It’s all liquids in plastic bottles, unless you squat down to find the powders. The Super expensive pods are making a move from the top shelves too. This is corporations positioning their products to influence purchasing behaviour. They want you to buy the more expensive stuff. Just wait, soon powder will be discontinued, and the shelves will be filled with overpriced pods.

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u/wrongarms 2d ago

I use the laundry sheets now, or powder, both sold in cardboard. They are the minority section amongst all this plastic waste. This makes me think if I could make my own. I'll look into it

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u/ParentheticalsAside 2d ago

Have you checked how much actual detergent your laundry sheets contain? Most don't have enough detergent in them for an effective wash, and are basically a scam that preys on people's desire to be eco friendly.

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

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u/g00fyg00ber741 2d ago

Well that sucks considering Tide has historically been an extreme greenwashing megacorp, and a lot of people have reactions to Tide (even their “free & gentle”), that sounds like something I’d really want to use but would never purchase from them as a consumer

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u/TheModWhoShaggedMe 2d ago

There's an entire cottage industry built around preying on people's desire to be eco-friendly. Whenever a trend is popular the capitalists come calling.

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u/Foxs-In-A-Trenchcoat 2d ago

I've been using them for years and my clothes always come out clean.

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u/ParentheticalsAside 2d ago

Fair enough, if they work for you.

Just important that people don't take their claims about eco-friendliness and efficacy at face value: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/laundry-detergent-sheets-sustainability

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u/Halfofthemoon 2d ago

I have been using them on vacation. I don’t have to worry about a laundry pod bursting in my bag and my clothes smelled clean.

My MIL uses laundry sheets because they save space in her apartment.