A survey commissioned by Amazon has found that seven out of 10 Indians wouldn’t mind if the product they order online comes without additional packaging.

The findings are released as more and more essential items — such as toilet rolls and pallets of beverage drinks — are being delivered to Indian shoppers without additional product packaging from Amazon.

“We’ve already achieved a lot, increasing the number of orders shipped to customers with no added delivery packaging in India by 83% since 2021. We are working to ship even more deliveries the same way,” said Abhinav Singh, Vice President, Operations, Amazon India.

Globally since 2015, Amazon has reduced the weight of outbound packaging per shipment by 41 per cent on average and eliminated over 2 million tons of packaging material.

In India, Amazon said it avoids adding its own packaging by protecting eligible items with a reusable crate or tote bag. More than half (55 per cent) of Indian shoppers surveyed said the reason they would be happy to receive online purchases without added-delivery packaging is to reduce the consumption of packaging materials.

“Like us, our customers really care about reducing packaging, and we’ve made significant progress doing so for years,” said Singh.

“That said, we aren’t satisfied with continued reduction. Where possible, we want to eliminate packaging altogether,” he said.

Singh said that Amazon is working with manufacturers to design packaging that’s capable of shipping safely, without additional paper bags, envelopes or boxes from the e-commerce firm.

No added packaging can mean shipments are lighter, which leads to reduced delivery emissions per package, and means customers don’t need to recycle an additional Amazon cardboard box or paper bag.

Among the items people are happiest to receive in the manufacturer’s original packaging – with just an address label added – are clothing apparel (34 per cent), detergent (30 per cent) and stationery (30 per cent).  

The research found that the items customers would be least happy to receive without additional packaging include contraceptive devices, haemorrhoid cream and bikini wax strips – which are product categories that Amazon already ships discreetly – as well as some high value items such as mobile phones and laptops, which are excluded from Amazon’s reduced packaging programme.

The research also found that one in ten Indian shoppers would be happy to have everything they order online come without added delivery packaging.

Intelligent algorithm

Products selected to be shipped in product packaging have passed rigorous drop tests by Amazon. This ensures that they can reach customers safely and securely without added delivery packaging. This is a reassuring fact for more than half (55 per cent) of those surveyed, who said their main concern about deliveries without additional outer packaging is damage.

Amazon’s intelligent algorithm also uses machine learning to evaluate the durability of the manufacturer’s packaging. This includes taking into account the distance those packages travel, to ensure that additional packaging is not required.

Tech accessories, homeware, home improvement products, shoes, and luggage are some of the products that are often shipped with no added packaging. Items such as liquids, fragile goods, and personal care items that need additional protection during transportation continue to be shipped with added packaging.

One in three (33 per cent) surveyed said knowing they can get a refund or replacement for missing items gives them the confidence to receive their online orders this way. If there is a problem with an Amazon order, customers can always contact customer service to request a replacement or refund.

Where packaging is necessary, Amazon uses machine learning algorithms to help make smart packaging choices for customers. This makes sure that it fits well, uses as little material as possible, and protects customers’ orders.

Beyond reducing packaging, Amazon is also the co-founder of and the first signatory to The Climate Pledge, a commitment to reach net-zero carbon by 2040. To date, the pledge has more than 450 signatories, across 57 industries and 38 countries. As part of its commitment, Amazon is on a path to reaching 100 per cent renewable energy across its operations by 2025. 

First Published: Mar 27 2024 | 4:18 PM IST