WWF-Singapore pilot: 1 in 3 customers choose reusable e-commerce packaging

WWF-Singapore pilot: 1 in 3 customers choose reusable e-commerce packaging

Sustainability

WWF-Singapore's Plastic ACTion (PACT) initiative, in partnership with UOB, SingPost, and Better Packaging, has successfully completed a pilot programme designed to reduce e-commerce packaging waste in Singapore.

The six-month pilot involved 15,000 customer orders, and found that one in three customers chose to use reusable packaging for their online purchases when given the option, with over half of them voluntarily returning the packaging.

The post-pilot survey also revealed that better consumer education and convenience could boost the return rate to above 75%, thus promoting a more sustainable e-commerce landscape.

The pilot initiative was launched in April 2022 to promote the scalability of reusable e-commerce packaging in Singapore and shape a circular economy. The e-commerce market in Singapore is projected to grow by over 50% by 2027, and a study conducted by MIT Real Estate Innovation Lab in 2021 found that packaging accounted for 45% of carbon emissions in the e-commerce supply chain, with returns management being the second largest contributor at 25%.

Singapore credit Fabio Achilli CC BY 2 0
Singapore © Fabio Achilli (CC BY 2.0)

During the pilot, customers could opt-in for reusable e-commerce packaging from 12 participating retailers, and return the packaging at no cost directly to the courier or any SingPost posting box. The packaging was reused by retailers for the next order, allowing for a robust testing of the reusable packaging concept while utilising Singapore's national postal network to manage packaging returns.

Mr R. Raghunathan, Chief Executive Officer at WWF-Singapore, said, "We are heartened by the findings from the pilot as it demonstrates Singaporeans' willingness to do more for the environment while emphasising the pivotal role of retailers and industry players to create a new, sustainable e-commerce ecosystem that appeals to the public. The findings from the pilot will also provide practical resources for retailers and organisations looking to implement or transition to reusable packaging."

Latest Packaging News

PPMA re-brand puts automation at the heart of UK manufacturing
Business

PPMA re-brand puts automation at the heart of UK manufacturing

The PPMA (Processing & Packaging Machinery Association) Group of Associations is re-branding...
Allpack awarded SafeSupplier verification
Supplier News

Allpack awarded SafeSupplier verification

Allpack, a leading innovator in the packaging industry, is proud to announce its recent achievement...
Liberty Coca-Cola ditches plastic multipack rings for paper packaging
Sustainability

Liberty Coca-Cola ditches plastic multipack rings for paper packaging

Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages (serving Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York City) has joined forces...
Romania inaugurates 'world's largest' deposit return system
Sustainability

Romania inaugurates 'world's largest' deposit return system

Romania has introduced the "world's largest" centralised deposit return system (DRS), boasting...
Ellen MacArthur Foundation calls for reuse revolution
Sustainability

Ellen MacArthur Foundation calls for reuse revolution

In a recent announcement from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a call for a transformative shift...