Why do travellers wrap their luggage in plastic, and is it worth it?

A good way to waste money at the airport.Credit: Getty Images

Before we knew that plastic was such an abomination to the planet, I used to view passengers who shrink-wrap their suitcases in airports with a passing sense of bafflement; in good company with the sort of people who have "baby on board" stickers on their car or whose favourite flavour of crisp is ready salted. Today, the practise horrifies me.

Being a frequent flyer, I am of course far from perfect when it comes to environmental matters. But we must all pick our battles. And if I could, I'd wage war on this, surely the most unnecessary cause of plastic waste.

Why does this service even exist? In looking for answers, I found several reasons, none of them compelling. Bag Wrap, just one company that will sheath your luggage in cling film, with locations in airports all around Europe, states five: that it protects your luggage from damage, deters thieves, weather-proofs it, makes it easily identifiable, and reduces the risk of someone slipping illicit goods into your bag.

Let's go through these one by one. First, protection. The very purpose of a suitcase is to function as a container that protects your belongings. It is itself a barrier between your items and the outside world. Generally, the material is tough. Cling film, on the other hand, is made to protect things like sandwiches.