> The purpose of a food can is to store food. Absolutely not. The purpose is to maximize profit. The can improves profit via sales (being appealing on the she

> The purpose of a food can is to store food. Absolutely not. The purpose is to maximize profit. The can improves profit via sales (being appealing on the shelf and in the kitchen cabinet; perhaps a familiar shape sells better), marketing (the image of the brand and the product, including environmental issues), distribution (the obvious costs and the value of being appealing to the sales channel (e.g., oversized products might be unappealing to the supermarket)), manufacturing costs, functionality for the consumer (food stays fresh, fits standard can-openers, etc.) etc etc.