For the garbage can - Presents unwrapped and now what? How consumers can reduce their Christmas waste
Mountains of shipping boxes pile up in homes again during the Advent season. After all, Christmas presents are often ordered online - and that means a flood of packaging made from waste paper and plastic. This can not only be annoying, but is also bad for the environment.
On its website, the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) warns of increased packaging consumption around Christmas due to the rise in mail-order business and products packaged in small pieces. Many gifts are ordered online and delivered individually in disposable packaging. According to the UBA, 18.8 million tons of packaging waste were generated in German households in 2020 alone. It is particularly high around the holidays - experts estimate 20 to 30 percent more than on other days.
Tchibo and Otto test reusable bags
Reusable shipping bags could be an alternative. This is being tested by the retail group and coffee roaster Tchibo, among others. Consumers can order gifts for the family online and receive them in a reusable bag made from 70 percent recycled plastic. This is then sent back to the company - even if you want to keep the entire order.
According to Tchibo, the empty bag can either be dropped in the letterbox or handed in at a store. There are no additional costs for consumers. But do customers really return the bags? Although there are no deposit or other incentive systems yet, two initial projects have seen return rates of 81 and 75 percent, said a Tchibo spokeswoman.
The mail order company Otto has also already tested reusable mailing bags - with positive results. A spokesperson said that there was a high willingness to return the empty packaging and to pay a deposit, which is returned when the bags are returned. "In the test, we had a return rate of 74 percent".
However, it was only possible for customers to return the reusable packaging to a logistics company. "With the regular use of reusable packaging, the aim must definitely be to increase this return rate so that its use also makes ecological sense," says the spokesperson. In addition, IT challenges still need to be solved - such as integrating the selection of reusable packaging into the ordering process. Unfortunately, this is not easy to implement.
Federal Environment Agency advises reusable packaging
Tchibo is also still working on a number of processes. For example, the adhesive load of the labels varies greatly. "Removing the returns label takes longer than expected. Adhesive residue also remains," said a spokeswoman. "The bags are still used, of course. We are now using different adhesives." And it is not yet possible to say how many ways a reusable bag will ultimately have to be recycled. They are still in the test phase.
It is therefore still uncertain whether reusable shipping bags can be introduced across the board. However, the UBA also has tips on how to reduce the flood of waste around the holidays: "Online shopping in itself is not necessarily associated with more environmental pollution," said a spokeswoman. It is more important what and how much is bought than where and how. Customers can pay attention to the longevity of products.
And waste can also be avoided with wrapping paper. "At Christmas time, most presents are wrapped in wrapping paper or other disposable gift packaging," said the spokesperson. Reusable packaging could be used instead.
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Despite the increase in packaging waste during the Christmas season due to online shopping, retail groups like Tchibo are testing the use of reusable shipping bags made from recycled materials. These bags, which can be sent back to the company for reuse, have seen return rates of up to 81% in initial tests. Meanwhile, the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) advises that online shopping itself does not necessarily result in more environmental pollution. Instead, it advocates for paying attention to the longevity of products and using reusable packaging instead of disposable gift wrap.
Source: www.stern.de
