You’re probably asking yourself, “What the hell is a Neosporin tote?” Apparently (and we wouldn’t know this because we buy generic Neosporin from Walgreens), Neosporin now comes with a small plastic totebag that you can use to remind yourself that you should take the ointment with you in case you carelessly plunge a knife into your tender fleshy parts while you are away from home.

Why do we need this? Does adding a red plastic sheath actually do anything for Neosporin?

Consumerist reader and SF Chronicle writer Chris Colin decided to find out who was responsible for this odd, useless, wasteful item, and in so doing teaches us a little bit about all the odd, useless, wasteful items that are foisted upon us as “added value” in the products we already buy.

We have another name for the “Neosporin tote” and other promotional items of its ilk. Clutter!

The Neosporin travel tote: Tracking down the human behind the crap we have to buy [San Francisco Chronicle]
(Photo:Chris Colin)

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