Around four billion online retail items were sent in 2020 alone - in disposable packaging that is disposed of upon receipt. A current research project has now investigated whether and how reusable packaging could work in mail order practice.
The aim of the research project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research Praxpack: develop practical reusable concepts in online retail and test them in practice on a pilot basis. The Hamburg Environmental Consultancy Ecopol, which is coordinating the project, was also concerned with gaining insights into how online retailers can adapt their business models so that the Use of reusable systems also pays off economically.
Avocado Store, Otto and Tchibo test for Praxpack
„The important thing is to get the customer on board and convince them,“ said Ökopol project manager Dr Till Zimmermann in a recent panel discussion at the digitally organised Logimat. „Even if studies repeatedly come to the conclusion that consumers are willing to take on the effort and costs of reusable solutions, the reality is often different. For it to actually work, there has to be a sensible replacement for the single-use solution that also fits. This means, for example, that the transport distances are not too long and the turnaround times are not too short.“
The Praxpack pilot test took place with the three partners Avocado Store, Otto and Tchibo - and with approx. 14,000 reusable shipping packages of the Finnish company Repack. Its shipping packaging, whether empty or with returns, could be sent back to the sender and then used again. The reusable packaging made from robust polypropylene material can be reused up to 20 times.
Higher response rate needed for a good environmental balance
The return rates with returns initially looked good: At Avocado Store (84 per cent) and Tchibo (82 per cent), customers could simply drop the packaging in the nearest letterbox, while Otto (75 per cent) took them back via its Hermes shops. The results for „empty returns“ are somewhat more sober: At Otto, only 36 per cent of empty repacks were returned, at Avocado Store 74 per cent and at Tchibo 67 per cent. In total too little to achieve a good environmental balance. According to Ökopol, this would require a response rate of 80 to 90 per cent.
The return of Repack shipping bags to Tallinn in Estonia, currently the company's only processing site, was criticised in particular. This is not considered very ecological by all customers. The plastic material used for the shipping packaging was also controversial. Till Zimmermann: „However, paper is not the best choice for reusable solutions. If you are looking for durable packaging, you will always end up with plastic. That doesn't have to be bad from an ecological point of view if, for example, a High PCR content is utilised.“
