I've been thinking about this more and more, and it just makes so much sense. No one cares what shape a beer bottle is, the label is enough to tell them apart. Marketing people will complain if they can't differentiate on packaging, but less of them isn't something to worry about either

> Marketing people will complain if they can't differentiate on packaging

Cigarette companies have already fought and lost legal battles forcing them to use standard plain packaging, so complaining is about all they can do.

I’m in total agreement. We give corporations a lot of freedom even when that freedom is unnecessary and leads to significant environmental and societal harm. We’ve got to get some power back for the people so we can say “no, you don’t get any shape. You have to agree to a limited number of shapes and they have to be totally recyclable.”

I think in general the government should mandate that companies take care of their goods from start to end including negative externalities. If you produce something in plastic packaging then you have to make sure it's recyclable in the markets where is sold or pay an environmental impact fee. Ditto if you sell oil that produces CO2. Buy equivalent carbon credits. If it means no body can afford your product anymore, you shouldn't be selling it anyway.

Have the mfr pay a small fee when their wrappers end up in the garbage. A little like the deposit on cans but the consumer doesn't have to do anything.