I’ve noticed that every product I’ve bought in the past year with a zip-lock seal is destroyed with common use. I actually think the zip-lock itself has gotten stronger. The bag rips before the seal opens on half the bags now and whenever I try to opens bags I had no issues with before, I find myself stretching/warping the plastic before the seal eventually opens.
It’s pretty frustrating and I am seeing it across many products. Cheese bags, storage bags, snacks etc…
I don’t think the zip-lock got stronger, I think the bags got thinner and weaker. But either way, they do tear more than they used to.
Which… might be ok, if the object is to reduce plastic consumption and pollution.
It’s not. It’s to make more money. Everything will continue to get slightly worse - year after year - for as long as this current economic ideology continues.
The point is… before you could reuse the bags MUCH more often, now I’m blowing out gallon ziplocks after 2-3 deli bought and home diced vegetables uses. The zipper is stronger like OP says, but the sides are tearing more easily.