Amazon India extends packaging free shipping programme to 100 cities

In order to reduce waste and increase sustainability, leading ecommerce marketplace — Amazon India — extended its packaging free shipping (PFS) initiative across 100 cities in India.

In a press release, Amazon India said, PFS is a sustainable packaging solution in which customer orders are shipped in their original packaging without any additional packaging or significantly reduced packaging. It had first launched PFS in India in June 2019 in nine cities.

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“With the expansion of PFS, more than 40 percent of Amazon customer orders shipped from Amazon India’s fulfilment centres, are now packaging-free or have significantly reduced packaging,” the statement said.

According to the ecommerce platform, the PFS algorithm leverages technology, and is applied to orders based on parameters like the location of the customer, the distance the order has to travel, and the category of the product ordered. Here, machine learning algorithms are used to adjust packaging protection, depending on the product and transportation conditions.

The products that are shipped packaging-free include tech accessories, home and home improvement products, shoes, luggage, and more. Liquids, fragile items, and personal care products that need additional protection during transportation continue to be shipped with packaging, according to the company.

“We have been working with several brands to provide ecommerce friendly packaging to further reduce the use of secondary packaging. The expansion of PFS to 100 cities within a year is a testament to our commitment towards sustainability,” said Prakash Kumar Dutta, Director, Customer Fulfilment and Supply Chain, Amazon India.

Amazon is aiming to make all shipments net-zero carbon, with 50 percent net-zero carbon by 2030 globally. The sustainable packaging initiatives like 'frustration-free packaging and ship-in-own container,' have reduced packaging waste by 25 percent since 2015.

Amazon's other initiatives to drive sustainability include renewable energy programmes and investments in the circular economy with the Closed Loop Fund.