In the early years, crisps were sold in bulk from barrels or glass display cases or supplied to customers in tins. This limited the production possibilities.
In 1927, Laura Scudder entered the crisp business, with the Laura Scudder Potato Chip Factory. She was a packaging innovator: she started paying her workers to take home sheets of wax paper and iron them into the shape of bags. These were filled with chips at the factory the next day. They were sealed with glue applied with a brush. This kept the crisps fresher longer and, along with the invention of celophane packaging, paved the way for mass production.
Scudder also instigated the practice of putting the manufacture date on her crisp bags, making hers the first company to do so. The consequent extended freshness meant she could rightfully claim: “Laura Scudder‘s Potato Chips, the Noisiest Chips in the World”.
Nowadays, potato crisps are mainly sold in foil bags.
These other types of packaging are also in use today:
- Paper bag
- Resealable pouch
- Cardboard tube
- Celophane bag
- Plastic tub
- Cardboard carton
- Tin
- Compostable packaging
- Cardboard box
- Screw-top jar
Finally, the most expensive crisps in the world, made by St Erik’s brewery, were packaged in luxury, padded display boxes.
Museum of Crisps 