Trade association Thuiswinkel.org is targeting 10 per cent less air in parcels by 2022. Together with online shops and suppliers, it is also investigating when shipping packaging can be omitted altogether.
Thuiswinkel.org commissioned research into packaging density in e-commerce packaging. It shows that in 75 per cent of cases, online shops use a cardboard box to ship their orders in. For these boxes, the filling density is lower than for envelopes and shipping bags; over 50 per cent of the shipping box is filled with air.
Large webshops perform slightly better than small webshops in this respect, on average. It is also striking that larger products are packed more efficiently than small products. Often, small products need a minimum packaging size because otherwise they are easily lost.
Thuiswinkel.org wants to work with the industry to find air-reducing packaging solutions. For example, packaging machines that adjust at height quickly provide reductions of 10 to 20 per cent. A guide should give online shops insight into the best packaging solution for their business. "The higher the packaging density, the more parcels can be carried in a truck, the lower the CO2 emissions per home-delivered product," concludes the industry association.
