Online retailing giant Amazon has said that it is no longer using plastic delivery bags in the UK from its fulfilment centres.
Instead, it has replaced them with flexible paper bags and cardboard envelopes, which are more easily recyclable.
These are made with recycled content, but also use less volume than cardboard boxes.
The company is also increasing the amount of products it uses that are shipped in their original packaging, with just an address label added.
Amazon UK country manager John Boumphrey said: “We have made changes in our supply network that enable us to remove single-use plastic delivery bags in the UK.
“Customers are already receiving more deliveries in easily recyclable paper and cardboard, and we will keep innovating and finding ways to use more sustainable packaging.”
On occasions, Amazon customers may still receive goods in plastic packaging. This includes:
- Packaging provided and shipped by third-party sellers
- When the original plastic packaging only requires an address label
- Bubble wrap may still be used to protect fragile items
- If it is raining, a plastic bag may be used to protect an item if it needs to be left outside.
Since 2015, Amazon has reduced the weight of outbound packaging per shipment by more than 36% and eliminated more than 1 million tonnes of packaging material.
