Not to come across as crass, but the popularity of inferior products and packaging (in light of the accumulated data) seem to be rooted in a bygone era that had

Not to come across as crass, but the popularity of inferior products and packaging (in light of the accumulated data) seem to be rooted in a bygone era that had little, if any quality standards (think pre-pink slime nugget accounting and profit scenarios). It is a bit of a stretch in legal terms, but with the negligence in place for disposal processes/costs of a resource as mature as plastic, it is exactly like the fight against CFC's and the hole in the ozone layer. Quantifiable damage from plastics and a strategy for reduction could/should mirror other successful campaigns to limit ecological damage. Most of these brands are now invisible for the 1st world, cord-cutting, ad-blocker-loving generations, so my hope is that the next round of behemoths will learn from their environmental mistakes.