I don't see the problem with the current implementation of looting. Having a container highlighted even if potentially empty until you actually check it is the most sane system I can think of for a CRPG.
Now the real issue might be that container quality doesn't reflect content quality. This was a big issue with release Diablo 3 where the best farming method was to destroy wooden crates. With a proper loot pool, you can actually tell visually if something is worth your time just like you wouldn't dumpster dive IRL to find gold.
