I find the plastic tubs of Leggos pizza sauce (2 x 140g) impossible to open (by ripping away the top seal). I just get the knife and cut around the rim to save time (and getting sauce all over the place!).
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Another pet hate is the packaged meats, usually the Primo range for me. They have a ‘peel here to open’ message normally in the bottom left corner but trying to get that little piece up enough to grip does my head in! And if you should be successful, it never opens cleanly; it just rips in half, most often diagonally from corner to corner. Once again, I don’t bother and simply reach for a knife (or avoid them altogether and buy fresh meat from the deli).
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I have a pair of scissors handy to open any food packaging, however when I buy tool or accessories I still have to cut them open with scissors but if you have to take them back they don’t want to take them back because they have been opened. They are usually items that you don’t know if they are going to work or not until you cut them open.
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Not a huge problem really.
For some it may be a bigger problem than it is for others. @phb listed their product problem and while it may not even be a big problem for them and only an annoyance it helps answer the original request.
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If the product return is a change of mind one the damage to the packaging might create problems for your return. If the product is faulty then whether it is in it’s original packaging or not is not a reason they can refuse on. The ACL covers this situation and protects the consumer.
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Anything packaged without a large arrow to indicate “tear here”.
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The worst thing I experienced was not food but methylated spirits in a soft bottle…
Once you get that open it quirts up into your face. Can damage the eyes. I reported it, but they did nothing.
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The half-moon tab under the cap on the cream bottle. Unscrew the lid and the neck opening is sealed, but has a semi circular clear tab marked Lift Here. The idea is to grip this small tab nearest to the rim and lift, thereby pulling up the neck seal. It is hard to grip, small, slippery and the seal robust. I have resorted to teeth and paring knife. Mr Z with his big fingers can’t even grip it. Fortunately we don’t use cream much. This was Black & Gold Thickened Cream 300ml(?) - the smallest bottle.
The Hermesetas granulated sweetener bottle 90g. The silvery paper seal over the top of the jar, under the screw on lid. It can’t be peeled off, I have resorted to stabbing with a paring knife and ripping it off. I reuse these (for other people) and find the seal is impossible to get off where it is stuck to the rim. Tried putting it through the dishwasher, scraping with knife, soaking etc. Otherwise it would be a well presented storage jar.
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And sometimes these pack types don’t have a helpful ‘peel here’ label, so you can spend ages trying to figure out which corner is the correct one!
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Some products have tear notches like this one…
which make opening easier. They are becoming more common on products. Many consumer possibly aren’t aware what these notches are for. Having lived in Asia, one quickly learnt to find the notch to open ready made food products.
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Yes, I also find this to be a good design for successful/straightforward pack opening!
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Sanitary pads, excessive packaging:
Plastic overall wrapper.
Inside, each pad individually wrapped in plastic.
Strips of paper over every adhesive part, central and wings.
There’s no end of unwrapping with those!
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Except for all the ones that refuse to tear, let alone in a straight line.
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2 lite milk from Coles and Woolworths. Those little stick-up tabs are difficult to pull up if you have weak or wet fingers.
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Remember when sardine tins came with a key that you used to ‘wind’ the top off the can?
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I pierce a hole in the carton opposite the spout to avoid the slopping of the milk. Only problem is the carton can (and often does) collapse when you are doing the piercing! Oh well, no point in crying over spilled milk! 
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Tassal smoked salmon 90g 50% salt reduced - the corner of the pack rarely pulls apart as intended.
Goulburn Valley large plastic tubs of fruit eg peaches - always lots of spilled juice when attempting to remove the peel off top, and usually end up cutting it off with a sharp knife, also very messy!
This is a great topic, thank you - very relevant to everyone and especially those who have a disability that makes everyday tasks like this so needlessly difficult and disempowering. Perhaps Choice could push for legislative change in this area.
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It may be close to ‘package zero’ for difficult to open products. Camp pie was similar with a key and metal strip that it peeled off, getting more difficult as the metal ribbon grew larger.
Don’t know if camp pie is still packaged the same. As kids my mum banned us from opening the sardines as we always broke the starter metal tab in the first turn.
Vague memories suggest one of the famous faux plum puddings came in a tin with a key and metal ribbon that was wound up to open. No plastic anywhere.
At least all these metal tins could go to recycle. Not that it existed back then.
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