Where’s the fun in that? New ‘space-saving’ bubble wrap has no pop

A new version of Bubble Wrap won’t have the one distinctive feature most of us love it for — the “pop.” Sealed Air, its manufacturer, said that the new version won’t be studded with little air pockets that pop, satisfyingly, when you press them. Instead, there will be columns of connected pockets, where the air will go into neighbouring bubbles if you press down on one.

I have to pop the Bubble Wrap.

April Holliday, member of one of the many Facebook groups devoted to the pleasures of popping the packaging

The new version, called iBubble Wrap, takes up far less space than normal Bubble Wrap and will ship flat. Retailers will inflate it prior to shipping, using a dedicated pump, according to Sealed Air. Profits from Bubble Wrap have declined in recent years, due in part to retailers being unwilling to pay the high price. Naturally, the online world has not been thrilled about the new development.

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