Eye Magazine

Shelf Life is a lovingly assembled hymn to branded goods that sound odd or just plain embarrassing in the English language. Chortle-worthy highlights include Hardon tea, Plopp chocolate, SuperPiss antifreeze, Cocagne sardines and Puke playing cards.

The collection of funny foreign tins, packets and bottles is photographed against a pristine background and cleanly laid out by Paul West, Paula Benson and Claire Warner at Form, organised into chapters titled Love Life, High Life, Low Life, Bodily Functions and Oddballs. The book comes wrapped in a noisy foil ‘crisp bag’.

First published in Eye no. 53 vol. 14, 2004

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