[Consumerwide - Jinil Kang Reporter / Yohan Bok Reporter] The distribution industry is actively involved in changing the way packaging concerns the environment as the use of environmental materials, which reduce resource waste, becomes more popular in the industry. Besides, government regulation, which enforces over-packaging for delivery as a part of their disposal product regulation from the end of April, seems to be pushing the trend forward. Sustainable packaging brings more expenses and efforts, yet it makes a huge difference in environmental protection. It might propose a new choice for environmental value-based consumers.

Ecommerce is turning to environmental packaging.

Coupang is facilitating Singulation process to bring down disposable packaging. By using thin plastic packs for individual products and containing them in a plastic box according to delivery location, you can reduce the disposable package to a maximum of less than 20% of the entire delivery.

For environmental packaging, Coupang is currently running a packaging team that studies and develops environmental packaging processes. Besides, Coupang has been reusing cold reserve bags (Coupang Fresh Bag). Coupang aims to reach 80% for the use of fresh bags from 70%.

Kurly expanded the use of Purple Box service areas from the capital and Eastsouthern areas, including Busan, Changwon, Gimhae, Yangsang, Ulsan, and Daegu, to the Chungcheong area, which includes Cheonan, Asan, Cheongju, and Sejong. The Purple Box is made of recycled material and was launched in July 2021. Purple Box can hold approximately 47 litres and maintain 10 °C for 12 hours and -18 °C for 11 hours in a moderate-temperature (28 °C) condition. Kurly has reduced 9.66 million units of paper boxes, which is equivalent to 2000 units of thirty-year-old trees, as a thirty-year-old tree produces 59 kg of pulp, in 2022 by using purple boxes. This is 2.5 folds of the overall Yeouido area and 15 folds of Seoul Forest. The use of water icepacks and dryice, which used to be included in the former packaging, has also decreased as Purple Boxes were frequently used. It resulted in lowering the cost of packaging from 56 billion won to 48.8 billion won, which is 12.9%. The sales and management expenses accumulated by Kurly during the third quarter of last year were 570.8 billion won, which is 23 billion won less than a year prior (593.8 billion won).

SSGdotcom has been facilitating environmental packaging systems in cooperation with Shinsegae Department Store for online mall gift products. Delivery boxes exclusively designed for gifts can be closed without tapping, but just by inserting the top part of the box into the groove, as long as it's been folded according to the assembly order.

Department stores are practicing environment-friendly packaging, including this Seol (Korean New Year) gift set.

Hyundai Department Store has been gradually getting rid of plastic disposal containers for their Fresh Table Service, which packs small amounts of fruits or vegetables due to customer orders at the food corner of the store. By the end of January, Trade Centre, Apgujeong Headquarters, Shinchon, The Hyundai Seoul, and Pangyo branches will stop using disposal containers. If the customer wants to use the Fresh Table for free, they have to bring personal, multiusable containers at the time of purchase; if not, they've got to purchase one at the store. Hyundai Department Store expects to reduce 6.2 metric tonnes of greenhouse gases by eliminating the use of disposal containers from the Fresh Table. Prior to the policy, Fresh Table had been using 220,000 plastic containers annually. Concerning the fact that 1kg of plastic emits 2.4 kg of CO2, there is an effect of planting 2258 trees that are 30 years old by stopping the provision of disposable containers. Profits from reusable containers are going to be used for the Climate Action 1.5° School Challenge, which is an educational programme for future generations aiming for the practice of carbon neutralisation on a daily basis.

During this Seol holiday, the department stores are actively involved in environmental packaging. Lotte Department Store changed giftset packaging to environmental materials: 100% paper for fruit baskets and BIO SAP, which is a plant-based material, for ice gel icepacks that are easy for recycling and reusing. The temperature-protective bags made out of recycled fabric are reused as upcycling goods through a collecting (return) campaign, which offers L-Point with the condition of returning those used bags after the Seol holiday. Hyundai Department Store has replaced frames with paper for fruit gift set packaging. Paper is also used for wine gift set packaging.

Changing packaging methods might feel like a loss to businesses as it risks the convenience of customers and sales performance. Nevertheless, we can no longer walk away from environmental issues. Thus, I cheer for those businesses that are taking the lead in environmental management by reducing the use of plastic. I hope more businesses will participate in this challenge of change, which reduces resource waste while protecting the environment.