Less Packaging in Deliveries

China's express delivery business is the largest in the world and has become an indispensable part of residents’ daily lives. It has made shopping easier, but also produces a large amount of packaging. In 2020, express delivery services generated nearly 15 million tonnes of waste. This project piloted reusable packaging options for the express courier company JD Logistics in the city Haikou. So-called ‘Green Stream Boxes’ were reused for multiple deliveries and thus eliminated tonnes of packaging waste. Based in these experiences, guidelines were developed in order to expand this business model to the whole industry.

Promoting Environmentally Friendly Containers

“In China, the demand for packaging in the logistics industry is very high,” reports Wang Guixin. As director of the Qingdao Junshengmingshi Logistics Packaging Institute, she knows what she’s talking about. The transport of fruit and vegetables alone in the city of Qingdao accounts for more than 17 million boxes every year. These boxes, which are resource-heavy in their production and disposal, are used only once. Guixin explains: “If the packaging can be replaced by reusable options, the amount of single-use plastics could be significantly reduced at source. Containers can be circulated from the farms via the distribution centre to the retail stores.” It is this green and sustainable approach that was the focus of our pilot project. Our aim: to develop an environmentally-friendly circulation system for fruit and vegetable boxes in the Qingdao West Coast new area. This led to changes to traditional packaging at the source, thereby promoting the development of green packaging, and reducing packaging, pollution and recycling. In short: a business model for the future.

WHAT HAVE WE ACHIEVED IN 12 MONTHS?

1. Use and re-use again and again and again…

Together with our partners, we developed reusable containers to replace disposable packaging products. Designed to meet modern technical standards, these ‘turnover boxes’ are durable – for a long life span – and foldable – for efficient transport and storage. The base material of the box body meets the food-grade safety standard. By testing 60,000 reusable containers to bring fruit and vegetables from farms to retailers for 12 months, we have been able to reduce disposable packaging materials by 120 kg per box while additionally saving more than 500 liters of water annually. The improved design means that food gets less damaged during storage and transportation – the damage rate dropped from 35% to almost zero. Also, food does not need to be re-packed during transport, as is usually the case with disposable boxes. According to research data, re-packaging on the way to the retailer usually results in a 20% food loss. Using reusable containers brings this rate down to almost zero, and can save 300 kg of fruit and vegetables per year. In addition to the environmental benefits, there is a clear financial argument in favour of the new boxes: the daily cost of a reusable container is 1 Renminbi – compared to 600 Renminbi for a new single-use one. 

Promoting Environmentally Friendly Containers

“In China, the demand for packaging in the logistics industry is very high,” reports Wang Guixin. As director of the Qingdao Junshengmingshi Logistics Packaging Institute, she knows what she’s talking about.

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