Consider the egg, a miracle of structural design. If you drop it, it breaks. But try to break one by simple inward pressure between the tip and the round end. It's hard to do. Even by grasping the egg in your fist, you'll find it doesn't break (unless you apply finger pressure).
Now consider the typical paperboard egg carton. It holds the eggs in a "full upright and locked position" — the position most secure from breakage. Egg cartons can be (and are) stacked. Although there are exceptions, eggs in dry, properly handled, cartons generally don't break. The packaging is designed to prevent breakage under normal circumstances (including a drop from a short distance, or light compression load).
So, why is it, when I go to the store and purchase a dozen eggs in a properly designed carton, that the grocery bagger insists on packing the eggs on top of my other groceries — usually on top of the bread and tomatoes?
Today I was at the store. Given any opportunity (i.e. no designated bagger) I bag my own groceries. I had finished one bag when the checker totaled the purchases. At that point I had:
- 1 six-pack of soda
- 2 jars or mayonnaise
- 2 cans of cranberry sauce
- 1 (small) box of cereal, about the size of a hard-cover book and 1/4 the weight),
- 1 medium onion
- 6 packages of sugar-free Jello (which weigh slightly more than 6 empty boxes)
- and... the aforementioned carton of eggs.
"It can all go in one bag", I said, getting out my MasterCard as he prepared to bag the rest of the groceries.
"All in one bag?" the checker asked in surprise. "It'll be heavy!"
"No, it won't," I responded, "One bag is fine."
"But," he said (trying again), "I'll put the eggs on top."
"On top of what?" I thought, but simply said "No. In the bottom is fine."
He stood, unconvinced, holding a jar of mayonnaise.
"Those can go next to the eggs", I said, maintaining an even tone, still trying to be helpful... trying not to come around to his side of the counter and bag my own groceries.
"Next to the eggs..." he muttered, bagging the mayonnaise, then staring woefully at the cranberry sauce.
"On top", I said "Really. They won't break."
In a continuing effort to be helpful, I suggested that the 6-pack of soda didn't need a bag. The checker was still unconvinced, but I got everything packed and out to the car. Where, before taking the groceries into the house, I placed the 6-pack gently into the bag with the egg carton.
The eggs didn't break.
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