Clip Vs. Twist

There are no data documenting the two products’ relative market shares in the bakery aisle. Both sides, perhaps unsurprisingly, claim they’re winning. There seems to be general agreement that twist-ties have taken the lead with bread, while clips hold sway with buns, rolls, bagels, and English muffins. There are also pockets of regionalism: Everyone agrees, for example, that the West Coast is clip territory.

Are you a clip tie person or a twist tie person? I hadn’t considered that question until I read this fascinating piece in Bloomberg Businessweek explaining the multimillion dollar business of bakery bag ties. The piece goes into some of the consumer psychology on why people have a preference for either clip, but personally, I am a clip tie person because A) I like seeing the expiration date on the clip and B) I occasionally get the twist tie too twisted, so it becomes a hassle. But really, I’ll buy the bread regardless of what kind of tie is on there.

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