Here is a rundown of the cost-benefit. I think it helps explain why plastic is used!
https://www.forkranger.com/plastic-wrapping-of-cucumbers-cle...
https://www.forkranger.com/plastic-wrapping-of-cucumbers-cle...
Another example: is it better to buy the non-organic, locally produced apple or the organic apple that comes from Argentina? (I'm in Europe).
In the store, I need simple heuristics to make my decisions. My heuristics:
- Is there plastic? -> Pass
- Is it produce from far away? -> Pass, mostly
- Is it non-organic? -> Pass, if there's an organic alternative.
And yeah, sometimes it's a decision between the produce that's organic but wrapped in plastic and that which is conventional but without wrapping and grown locally. That's a head-scratcher every time.