I just received two Spectrum Vanderbilt tenders which I forgot were on backorder.
One of the tenders is in the black Spectrum box with the foam insert, the other came in the new red box with the many layered formed plastic insert.
The red box is about four times the size of the old black box, it is hugh for such a small item.
In my opinion the old foam inserts protected the items far better than the hard plastic inserts.
I had thought the new packaging was to be more cost efficient?
The foam manufacturing process may have issues recently revised environmental regulations in China. In China, there is no grandfathering, or similar, the government tells you to stop doing that - if you try continue, you will never get an opportunity again.......
What Nigel said might be true. A friend of mine collects dolls made in China. Previously they were shipped in foam containers....this time they were shipped in cardboard!
The Proto Heritage Steam and the Paragon steamers by BLI were also packaged in similar foam inserts. Have they also changed over to the new plastic packaging?