Why Did They Stop Putting Missing Persons On Milk Cartons?

In previous days, businesses had many ways to advertise in various platforms. This applies the same to packaging cartons for fresh milk. If you haven’t known this, in the old days, you would have seen how missing persons were being advertised in these cartons. Yet, due to some issues, this trend is no longer exist. But why did they stop putting missing persons on milk cartons? Let’s find out!

Know More About Custom Milk Cartons

Custom milk cartons are containers for packaging and storing fresh milk. Most packaging suppliers produce them from cardboard or paperboard. Another excellent part to note here is that the cartons come in different sizes and shapes. For instance, you can choose these cartons in rectangular or square.

These cartons are popular in the dairy industry because they are easy to handle, store, and transport. In fact, milk cartons are the most convenient choice for customers to grab their favorite fresh milk.

The History of Adding Missing People On Milk Cartons

The idea of adding missing people on milk cartons was started in the 1980s. At that time, there was a rising concern about the huge number of missing children in the United States. Responding to this, many parents and organizations were looking for ways to raise awareness. Of course, their goals were to help finding these children.

One of the solutions at the time was to print pictures and information about missing children on milk cartons. The main reason was due to fresh milk is dairy item people would consume daily.

The first missing person we could remember on these cartons was Etan Patz. Etan was only six years old when he went missing in 1979. In the mid-1980s, we might see his picture and information printed on many milk cartons.

Later on, this idea quickly caught on with other organizations and milk companies. In fact, The National Child Safety Council also began a program called “Missing Children Milk Carton Program” in 1985. This program aimed to distribute these cartons with pictures of missing children.

When Did They Stop Printing Milk Carton with Missing Person?

Despite the initial success of printing milk carton with missing person, the program was eventually discontinued. The last example of printing missing children on these cartons was in the early 2000s.

So, why did they stop putting missing persons on milk cartons?

Here are some convincing reasons for this!

·         Low Success Rate of the Program

Despite the high visibility of milk cartons, the success rate of finding missing children through this method was very low. According to the program itself, from 700 missing children featured on these cartons, only one was found.

The low success rate was due to the fact that most missing children were not abducted by strangers. Instead, they were rather runaways or taken by non-custodial parents.

·         The High Costs of Milk Carton Missing Kids

At that time, the production and distribution of milk carton missing kids was already expensive. Accordingly, printing the carton with missing children’s pictures and information made them more expensive. Many brands that participated in the program had to absorb the costs of printing and distributing the cartons. In the end, this became a financial burden over time.

·         Legal Issues

The use of milk cartons for printing missing children has raised legal concerns. For example, some parents of missing children sued milk companies for using their children’s pictures without permission. Meanwhile, some others argued that the milk companies were exploiting missing children for commercial gain.

·         Technological Advancements Beat the Missing Milk Carton Program

With the advent of the internet, social media, and other digital platforms, the missing milk carton program became outdated. Yes, the technology advancements bring more effective and efficient ways to spread information.

Other Beneficial Ideas to Print on Milk Cartons Wholesale for Businesses

Well, now we can see that the missing children on milk cartons program is no longer in use. However, milk cartons wholesale are still ideal for marketing and branding purposes. The main reason is due to the flexibility to print them with a company’s logo, slogan, or message. This flexibility makes these cartons end up being a great way to promote a brand and its product. So, if you are a business that want to take part in this competition, you don’t need to worry.

Below are some other beneficial ideas to print your cartons!

• Seasonal designs

You can try printing the cartons with seasonal designs such as Halloween, Christmas, or Easter. By printing these seasonal designs, you can make your cartons stand out from others.

• Environmental messages

These cartons are already eco-friendly. Even better, you can print the cartons with environmental messages. By doing this, you can further promote your company’s commitment to sustainability.

• Health and wellness messages

You can also print the cartons with health and wellness messages. This way, you can promote healthy living and a healthy lifestyle.

• Promotions and discounts

These cartons can be the best medium to provide your promotional messages. For instance, you can include special offers, fantastic discounts, or coupons. With these promotional features, you can encourage customers to purchase fresh milk only from your brand.

• Educational messages

Another beneficial thing you can print these cartons with is educational messages. For instance, you can print the cartons with the benefits of consuming calcium from fresh milk. Additionally, you can also print complete details about your fresh milk. In the end, these types of messages can be a great way to inform and educate customers.

Wrapping Up

Undoubtedly, the missing children on milk cartons program was a great effort to raise awareness about missing children. However, it ended up being ineffective and costly. In fact, this was only one of the reasons why did they stop putting missing persons on milk cartons back then. On the other hand, these cartons can still be a useful marketing and branding tool. Even better, fresh milk businesses can print the cartons to promote their products, brand, or message. Hence, we can confidently say that these cartons today become a more beneficial tool for many businesses. How about your business? Have you tried investing in these innovative cartons? If you haven’t, well, don’t you think this is the right time to start? Contact CustomProductBoxes for start investing in!