How are you supposed to open Purina Dog Chow & Cat Chow bags?

Jump back a few years ago, and those big bags of Purina Dog Chow and Cat Chow were easy to open. 

You’d pull on a strip of tape with a string sewn in.

From one edge to another, the thread would unravel like a zipper, opening the bag.

Zzrrripp… it was very satisfying.

Then came the redesigned Purina Dog Chow and Cat Chow bags with no obvious way to open them by hand. 

The bags are made out of this plasticky paper that’s very rip resistant. The ends are folded over and glued down tight.

Looking over the bags, there’s no opening instructions. No arrow. No tab to pull. No ‘open here’. 

So how the heck are these bags – designed – to be opened? 

They aren’t. 

We asked Purina directly – how are these bags supposed to be opened? 

A Purina spokesman replied: 

Our packaging is designed to protect the integrity of our products and to maintain product freshness from the date of manufacture through the Best if Used by Date. While the packaging we had used for a number of years served us well, we continuously look at ways to improve our packaging. In 2019, we reengineered our packaging across Purina brands to create even tighter seals. Therefore, we no longer have easy open features (tear strings, zip lock sliders, pull tabs, etc.) and packaging is now heat sealed.

And the answer to the question – how are they supposed to be opened? 

Packaging should be carefully cut open using scissors.

I applaud Purina’s efforts in keeping the pet food fresh. My dog and cats get very excited when a fresh bag is opened!

But I find it odd that a company admits to redesigning their packaging in such a way that they “no longer have easy open features”. Especially when it’s a non-dangerous product designed for average consumers.

We have Purina’s answer though. Use scissors to open the bag of Dog/Cat Chow.

You gotta wonder why Purina doesn’t say that on the bag…?

Have A Question? Ask Jessica!

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