Green packaging

Buying a product designed and delivered in a green way is good, but when it’s green-packaged too, that’s even better. Here are some packaging options that help consumers and the environment.

  1. Natural packaging
  2. Too many boxes
  3. Circular packaging

Natural packaging

Opting for greener packaging has one benefit: reduce the number of single use plastic packaging that is thrown away every year. And it often ends up in the ocean or in open dumps.

Bio-packaging made from natural materials such as cornstarch cardboard, honeycomb packaging, grass and kraft paper etc. means that we can put waste generated by agricultural and industrial processes to good use instead of discarding it.

Often these materials are compostable and biodegradable. Other ways in which you can stay green with your packaging is by re-using and re-cycling things like bubble wrap, concertina cardboard and air cushions.

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Too many boxes

Who has never received a product in a box three times bigger than the product itself ?

According to a study carried out in 2018, a quarter of the volume of shipping boxes is empty. Matching the box size with the product dimensions is not always easy – that is why some online retailers end up packaging products with bigger boxes and sometimes also send an order in multiple deliveries.

Reducing box sizes in both manufacturing and shipping saves materials, shock-absorbing wrapping and energy. It also means more container space and less transport journeys, and, consequently, less CO2 emissions. It might be a good idea to suggest this to e-tailers or mention excessive packaging in consumer reviews online.

If you don't need the quantity offered on the website, look around you if you can buy the product in bulk with an existing packaging or container.

In France, you can take a reusable container to retail outlets. The vendor can only refuse the container if it is dirty or unsuitable.

Circular packaging

Is the packaging in good condition and you think it’s a shame to throw it away ? Here are some solutions from our European neighbours to reduce packaging.

  • In Finland and Germany, a mapping application helps you find traders looking for recycled packaging near you. Other apps help identify traders who use second-hand packaging.
  • There are sellers, in Slovenia for example, who allow you to return the packaging so they can reuse it for further orders. Another shop sells cleaning and cosmetic products in returnable cartons.
  • In France, the AGEC law provides for a number of measures to reduce packaging waste and to eliminate single-use plastic packaging by 2040.
  • Some sellers in Europe offer discounts for returned packaging. Many restaurants sell unsold food if customers collect it using their own containers.

As for the European Union, a draft regulation aims to ban certain types of single-use plastic packaging by 1 January 2030. It will also oblige manufacturers and importers to respect a maximum empty packaging space of 50% and to reduce the weight and volume of packaging to a minimum. The text also aims to encourage consumers to reuse packaging, with targets by 2030.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.