E-commerce is on the rise, but not all packaging is yet adapted to this new way of consuming, and this is particularly noticeable at Christmas time. This holiday season, more than 150 million gifts will be bought online this year, 6% more than last year, according to a study by the British cardboard packaging group DS Smith.
Environment, logistics: the figures for unsuitable packaging for e-commerce
Of these gifts delivered to customers or parcel depots for Christmas, experts in the corrugated packaging group estimate that 59?366 tonnes of packaging will be unnecessary, 752 tonnes of which will be due to these additional purchases. And packaging unsuitable for its contents alone will result in 98?904 additional delivery routes, and more than 1?500 tonnes of CO2 released into the atmosphere. This is "a considerable increase at a time when most businesses and consumers are striving to reduce their environmental impact", notes DS Smith.
"Furthermore, it is interesting to note that there is 43% vacuum in packaging in France in e-commerce on average. Nearly half of the 150 million e-commerce parcels during the holidays are concerned, tells us the packing group. This cost gap represents 20 billion euros in losses for shippers every year."
And a brand image that's been damaged
And in addition to the environmental aspect and their direct cost, this excess or unsuitable packaging, which can lead to damage and delays, is harmful to the image of brands.
68% of respondents said they would no longer order from a brand if their package arrived damaged, 62% would ask for a refund if the items ordered arrived damaged, 64% would no longer order from a brand if their package arrived late and 20% would even cancel their order.
"The rise of e-commerce during periods of containment combined with the still very busy Christmas period is putting unprecedented pressure on delivery logistics operations", underlines Thibault Laumonier, CEO of DS Smith Packaging France. The use of poorly designed packaging has very concrete consequences: it leads to an increase in journeys, risks of damage, thus impacting the reputation of a brand or a trader"
Companies need to think about how they package their goods, he says. "It is now essential to use packaging materials that are more durable, more efficient and better suited to their shipping logistics."
