See-Through Food Packaging Boosts Sales

The grocery store is having a moment of clarity.

Yogurt to granola to tortilla chips are showing up in clear packages. The thinking: Shoppers are more inclined to buy when they see what they're getting.

Transparent packaging, though, is surprisingly hard to make. Food often isn't ready for a big reveal after a package has suffered shipping, shelf stocking and other jostling. Companies scrutinize even small packaging changes because they can be expensive. Packaging also drastically affects how long food stays fresh. Light degrades many foods, making clear wrappers especially tricky to use.