Amazon has announced a new packaging trial that could accelerate a transition to a more sustainable shopping experience around the globe.
As Packaging Gateway detailed, reusable packaging is set to be rolled out in five European countries as part of a partnership with circular packaging companies RE-ZIP and Hipli.
Participating in the test program is simple: Customers in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria, and Luxembourg can return their reusable packages for free at a nearby collection site after scanning a QR code. If all goes well, Amazon will consider expanding the program.
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🔘 The waste it produces 🗑️
🔘 I don't think about packaging at all 🤷
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"The collaboration with Amazon is the biggest single test we've ever conducted," RE-ZIP CEO and founder Bo Bach Boddum said, per Packaging Gateway. "That's why we're very excited to see how Amazon's customers will receive our patented cardboard boxes."
According to RE-ZIP's lifecycle assessment report, its packaging has an 80% return rate, ultimately resulting in an 80% less planet-warming carbon dioxide equivalent making its way into the atmosphere and 89% less water usage. It also reduces wood consumption by 93%, helping to protect crucial ecosystems that support biodiversity and contribute to healthier air quality.
These environmentally friendly strides are one reason why the Danish company, whose boxes can be reused multiple times, is part of the "Amazon Sustainability Accelerator," launched in 2022, per Packaging Gateway.
On its website, Amazon explains this equity-free program for startups developing sustainable solutions supports its goals of significantly reducing harmful pollution by 2040 — and along with improving energy efficiency, packaging waste is a major part of that.
Business Waste Management, based in the United Kingdom, estimates that 40% of the world's plastic waste comes from packaging. Adopting a more sustainable way to ship and package items could go a long way toward cleaning up our oceans, parks, and communities while also reducing the methane released when discarded items break down in landfills.
"Amazon Sustainability Accelerator is a testament to Amazon's commitment to supporting innovation and driving positive change," Amazon sustainability director Justine Mahler said, per Packaging Gateway. "By providing a real-world testing ground for unique and cutting-edge technologies, we're not only reducing our environmental impact but also creating a blueprint for more sustainable practices across industry."
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