Archive · 14 Jun 2025
Consumed: How Big Brands Used Plastics To Fool Consumers
Big companies tricked people into using a lot of plastic.
They made it seem like plastic was a good idea at first, even saying it would save animals.
Companies like McDonald's and Procter & Gamble did this to make more money.
They told us they'd recycle the plastic, but that didn't really happen.
Recycling is often just a trick to make people feel good, and the plastic keeps piling up.
These companies also use sneaky marketing tricks to hide their environmental impact and blame others.
The book Consumed explains how we got into this mess and what we can do to fix it.
Consumed by Saabira Chaudhuri details how big brands like McDonald's and Procter & Gamble fueled plastic use.
Corporations employed deceptive marketing and false recycling claims to increase profits and cut costs.
Plastic was initially seen as an eco-friendly alternative, but it led to a disposability crisis.
Recycling efforts often fail due to low value of recycled plastic, and are used for marketing.
The book criticizes 'greenwashing' tactics used by companies to deflect environmental responsibility.
- Who
- Authored by Saabira Chaudhuri and includes McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever.
- What
- Investigation into how big brands like McDonald's and Procter & Gamble fueled plastic use.
- When
- Over the last 100 years, with the shift from revolutionary plastic to a disposal problem.
- Where
- Focusing on the global impact, including in cities like Delhi and Kolkata.
- Why
- To expose corporate greed, deceptive marketing, and unfulfilled recycling promises.
Plastic Use
Plastic Waste
Plastic Benefits vs. Waste
Plastic Use
Plastic is convenient and has benefits, including savings on carbon emissions.
Plastic Waste
Single-use plastic is often difficult and uneconomical to recycle and creates waste.
Recycling
Plastic Use
Recycling is a good solution to reduce plastic waste.
Plastic Waste
Recycling is often just marketing and doesn't significantly reduce the problem.
- Author
- Saabira Chaudhuri
- Book Title
- Consumed: How Big Brands Got Us Hooked On Plastic
- Focus
- Role of multinational corporations in single-use plastic
- Key issue
- Deceptive marketing practices
- Primary criticism
- Greenwashing