"Pavel314" wrote in message
...
Long ago, I worked as a cost accountant for a company that made paint,
among other things. I was very surprised when I learned that the cost of
the can was more than the cost of producing the paint inside of it.


Sometimes that is the case. I wanted a gallon of some dry cleaning fluid.
Went to the place that sold it and they asked me if I had a can and I said
no. The can was either the same as a gallon of fluid or about 50 cents more
as the whole thing was less than $ 5 at the time.

Take a look at the 5 gallon gas containers now. While they can be reused
many times, they are more than the gas that goes in them now.