We need Circular Economy for e-commerce. “The Box” points the way

We need Circular Economy for e-commerce. “The Box” points the way

Thomas Reiner | 09.12.2020

We wish “The Box” plenty of success. After all, the packaging usage in e-commerce is gigantic and will continue to rise if we don’t take countermeasures. There is no way around flooding e-commerce with circular thinking. Intelligent solutions are essential for this and digital transformation will provide the right push. The approach of Livingpackets is therefore exciting and points the way.


 

With “The Box”, the German-French start-up Livingpackets is launching an intelligent reusable package on the market that is intended to replace disposable packages for e-commerce. The package is made of polypropylene, has an Internet connection including app, built-in sensors, a camera and a digital display. One can only wish “The Box” success for its highly exciting approach, because the packaging usage in e-commerce is gigantic and we urgently need circular solutions here.

According to its developers, “The Box” can be reused up to 1,000 times. The black-green package is made of foamed polypropylene, with 98 percent of the box being air and the remaining 2 percent recycled plastic.

An integrated 4G modem and an associated app allow the path of the box to be tracked in real time. Built-in sensors and a camera provide additional information on the state of the package contents and report unauthorized opening attempts. A digital display eliminates the need to print shipping labels. A net tensioned at the bottom of the parcel and a resealable lock are to replace adhesive tape and filling material.

Livingpackets costs two to three euros per use excluding postage. Users do not buy “The Box”, but rent it in a “Packaging-as-a-Service” model.

According to the start-up, the target group is online retailers who want to optimize their shipping. A test run at a French online store has shown that the packing processes can be accelerated by up to 30 percent. Livingpackets also expects its solution to be popular because of the positive, green image that retailers can create by using sustainable shipping packaging.

We wish “The Box” every success. After all, the packaging usage in e-commerce in gigantic and will continue to rise if we don’t take countermeasures. There is no way around flooding e-commerce with circular thinking. Intelligent solutions are essential for this. The approach of Livingpackets is extremely exciting and shows a way forward.

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