Thursday 31 March 2022

Amazon ditches single-use plastic delivery bags for recyclable paper

Amazon has announced it has stopped packing its products in single-use plastic delivery bags in its own distribution network in the UK.

It has switched to using recyclable paper bags and cardboard envelopes for orders shipped from its Fulfilment Centres, including items sold by Amazon as well as third-party sellers that use Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA).

The flexible paper bags and cardboard envelopes are more easily recyclable in household recycling across the UK and are made with more recycled content.

Amazon is also increasing the number of products that can be shipped in its original packaging produced by the manufacturer, with only an address label added.

In addition, the online retail giant is working to improving the sustainability of its packaging, including developing right-sized packages to better match products and increasing the recycled content that goes into making them.

Since 2015, Amazon has reduced the weight of outbound packaging per shipment by more than 36% and eliminated more than one million tonnes of packaging material – equivalent to two billion shipping boxed.

Its packaging programmes also encourage vendors to pack their products in easy-to-open material that is 100% recyclable and ready to ship to customers without additional Amazon packaging.

John Boumphrey, UK Country Manager, Amazon said: “We have made changes in our supply network that enable us to remove single-use plastic delivery bags in the UK.

“Customers are already receiving more deliveries in easily recyclable paper and cardboard and we will keep innovating and finding ways to use more sustainable packaging.”