KitKat Panama Made Its Chocolate Wrapper Block All Phone Signals by Doubling as Makeshift Faraday Cage

People all over the world have experienced taking their phone for a quick check and being lured into a vortex of unending feeds, only to lose half an hour doom scrolling. KitKat Panama collaborated with the Colombian firm Ogilvy to develop Break Mode, a Faraday cage wrapper that keeps the phone’s connection turned off even after you’ve finished the chocolate.

The Break Mode wrapper uses layers to prevent electromagnetic waves from reaching the phone. Copper is located in the center to help them along and steer them away, while polyester adds strength to the whole thing and polypropylene produces a robust outer shell that can endure heavy handling. Users note that the package remains functional for over a year before being recycled, during which time it transforms into a handy tiny shield that you can carry with you without adding extra bulk to your pocket or purse.

It all feels extremely normal once it becomes a part of your daily routine: open the KitKat, break off the fingers, eat the chocolate, and then simply slip the phone inside and lock it up. From that point forward, you are in your own little digital black hole, free of all the regular distractions. Once inside, your phone loses communication with your cell network, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and location services all at once, and your notifications simply stop working. Your apps will not reload, you will not receive any updates, and everything will go quiet.

Kim Waigel, Nestle’s marketing director for Central America, detailed the rationale behind it all, stating that this thing actually elevates the entire experience of unwrapping a KitKat, making the break from your phone feel real from the beginning. The team wanted the packaging to live up to its promise of a genuine break, and it delivers. It turns off all of your digital threads with a single action.

The wrappers are now solely used for promotional events in Panama. One thing to keep in mind (though it isn’t a major concern) is that even if your phone is turned off, it will continue to try to get a signal to ensure that it is still connected. As a result, when in the wrapper, the battery may drain slightly faster than usual. All you have to do is set the device to airplane mode initially, and the wrapper will handle the rest, and it will still seem entirely natural once you get into the groove.
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