A shopper took to Reddit to share their frustration with how their Bath & Body Works order arrived at their door: 24 items shipped in 23 boxes.
What's happening?
"Truly UNBELIEVABLE! I ordered 24 Fine Fragrance Mists from last sale and this is how it comes!! 1 bottle in 22 boxes and 2 bottles in 1 box. This company has ZERO regard for the environment nor efficiency. Their shipping department is a joke!" they wrote.
The photo showed the stack of boxes, which was about the size of two stoves.
"PLEASE tell me you are joking," commented one user.
"They definitely created extra waste and work all around," said another.
"As someone who works at BBW the boxes in shipment we get in our stores are also ridiculous. Some only have a few products in them," one more shared.
Other customers have had similar complaints about the company's product packaging and other wasteful practices, and Bath & Body Works is far from the only company to be criticized for these practices.
Why is product packaging important?
Product packaging creates a ton of waste. While the boxes can be recycled or reused, they are much bigger than the bottle of fragrance spray each box contains. This means that they are likely stuffed with plastic filler to prevent the product from being damaged by sliding around inside the box.
These plastic products produce planet-warming pollution and break down into dangerous microplastics, which pose a huge threat to the environment, wildlife, and human health.
Further, these packages have to be loaded onto polluting trucks and driven to their destinations, and the more boxes used, the more trucks will have to be on the road.
Is Bath & Body Works doing anything about this?
The company did not respond to The Cool Down's email request for comment on this packaging practice.
The company's website says it is "taking steps to focus on advancing our efforts around climate change and carbon emissions, packaging and plastics and sustainable sourcing," and Newsweek named it one of the greenest companies in America in 2023.
Instances like this show that the goals are still a work in progress, and the company has a way to go to fulfill them.
What's being done about product packaging more broadly?
Like Bath & Body Works claims to be doing, many companies are working to reduce the packaging they use or eliminate plastic altogether, while others are making alternatives to plastic packaging.
Individually, you can learn how to spot and support companies using sustainable packaging practices and support brands that use plastic-free packaging.
Several commenters on the post suggested shaming the company on social media. While shaming is unnecessary, especially considering the shopper doesn't know what led to the product being packaged this way, taking your time to contact a company lets the brand know you are paying attention. This probably means other people are, too, which means brands will be more likely to include recycling instructions and change packaging.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
