Why?

It’s a cucumber. What I can’t understand is why it is wrapped in shrink wrap. How can that possibly be good for us or the environment or indeed for the cucumber? One of the unexpected items in our online grocery order.
 
Shopping is becoming a bit of a challenge. Supermarket shelves are often bare, due to supply chain problems rather than panic buying, we are told. We are all getting used to being pinged when we go into shops, and we all know that the case and test numbers no longer reflect what is actually happening. The world seems an increasingly uncertain and threatening place.