Advisory report from web shops, carriers and packers advocates reusable packaging

A consortium of web shops, carriers and packers, chaired by Thuiswinkel.org, has considered the possibilities for setting up the chain for reusable packaging. From the recently published advisory report shows that the demand for reusable packaging is growing. In the Netherlands, we use approximately 85 million kilos of packaging material each year. Reusable packaging can help reduce this.

According to Thuiswinkel.org, the report offers valuable insights and recommendations to accelerate this transition. Political initiatives, such as the National Plan for a Circular Economy and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) of the European Commission, underline the urgency and necessity of reusable packaging. Thuiswinkel.org acts as a connector in this chain collaboration and thus contributes to a sustainable future for the e-commerce sector.

Sustainability is no longer an option but a necessity. ‘Our focus is on the transition to reusable packaging, in which chain cooperation is crucial for success,’ states the interest group. ‘As a sector, we want to be at the forefront and take the right steps ourselves, which is why we are not waiting for European guidelines, but are working with the entire chain itself to reduce the large amount of unnecessary shipping materials and to use reusable shipping materials as much as possible,’ says Marlene ten Ham, General Manager of Thuiswinkel.org.

The urgency to switch to sustainable packaging and thus reduce its negative impact on our environment is increasing. Legislation at national and European level also forces suppliers to reduce packaging material. The National Plan for a Circular Economy and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) of the European Commission set strict requirements for packaging. Reusable packaging is an innovative solution to meet these requirements.

The first results of several experiments with reusable packaging are promising. Analyses show that a high return rate is possible with the right incentives. However, further data and experiments are needed to enable a larger scale-up.