‘Call the health department’: Walmart shopper walks over to hot deli section for fresh rotisserie chicken. Then she sees the new packaging
“What in the hot, ghetto mess is this?” That’s the question one Walmart customer had after traipsing over to the deli and seeing the state of the rotisserie chickens.
In an 8-second viral video, TikToker Nikki (@nikkibellant) shows the strange packaging she found Walmart’s deli chicken in.
“I’m not finna play with Walmart,” she says to begin. She then shows the chicken, which is not in its usual, branded, resealable bag. Instead, the chicken, priced at $5.97, is in clear, tie-top bags. “Well this is different,” Nikki writes in the caption.
Why is Walmart using these new bags?
In the comments section, viewers suggested the new bags were a result of the president’s tariffs on goods made in China.
“I would guess the normal packaging came from China. Now we have to wing it,” a top comment reads.
Another commenter predicted packaging changes would be coming to stores other than Walmart.
“This is going to be happening at tons of stores,” they wrote. “Most of that nicer packaging comes from overseas.”
While it is unclear why exactly Nikki’s local Walmart switched to these bags, commenters are correct that most food packaging comes from Asia.
According to GlobalTrade, “Asia Pacific dominated the food packaging market in 2024, largely due to the explosive rise in online food delivery. Countries like China, India, and Japan have seen rapid expansion in processed food consumption, which fuels the demand for modern, efficient packaging. The region also benefits from a robust supply of packaging materials and manufacturers, along with government initiatives promoting food safety and hygiene.”
However, while the Asia Pacific has the largest share of the market, “North America is anticipated to grow at the fastest pace during the forecast period.”
Chicken container changes confound customers
This is not the first time a customer has been shocked to see rotisserie chicken in bags. As Yahoo! reported in 2024, many customers were surprised to see Costco switch from rigid plastic containers for its iconic $5 rotisserie chickens to black plastic bags emblazoned with the Kirkland Signature logo.
Yahoo! reports that there are some benefits to the change. These include being easier to carry, easier to store in the fridge or freezer, and less likely to tip over and spill juices everywhere. Customers did not notice a change in taste or quality of the chicken, but they did notice some drawbacks of the bags.
“The bags make it more difficult for customers to see the whole chicken inside and pick out the best—this is arguably half the fun of buying a Costco rotisserie chicken,” Yahoo! reports. “Also, the bags are not vented, trapping condensation inside and making the skin and bottom of the chicken soggy.”
Additionally, some customers reported that the handle and zip closure get greasy when pulling the chicken out of the bag, which they do not appreciate.
@nikkibellant Well this is different #walmart #fyp ♬ original sound – NikkiBellAnt
As for the chickens, they tend to be harvested once they’re 6 weeks old.
The Mary Sue contacted Nikki via TikTok comment and direct message. It contacted Walmart via contact form.
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