By Dede Williams

Some take longer than others to adjust, and even with the many gadgets designed to make life easier or more sustainable, old – and young – human “dogs” may grow weary of having to learn new tricks.

Remember when PET drinks bottles put an end to bleeding toes on the beach? Or how plastic-and-aluminium closures freed wine lovers from the cumbersome corkscrew?

Plastics are problem solvers. But with a sticky beverage dribbling down a freshly washed kit, some European football fans watching the recent championships loudly cursed the latest EU must-have: the tethered bottle cap.

Neither the polymer nor the teams are to be faulted for this “laundry malfunction”. Blame Brussels – or the litterers.

Mandatory for throwaway plastic beverage containers since early July, the new caps may drive the easily frustrated to drink – from a glass. So that it won’t come to that, a German website offers helpful hints comically reminiscent of a flight attendant’s safety instructions:

“Unscrew the cap and pull it completely to the other side.”

The dangling piece of plastic will no longer be in the way, and (apart from those with a very long nose), problem solved.

“To close the bottle, pull the cap back into place.”

Simple advice, but perhaps not needed forever. Rumour has it that to alleviate consumers’ pain – or just because it’s good for business – some bottle manufacturers plan to rethink their packaging.

Related: “Woe is me! The cap is hanging from the bottleneck!” – editorial