Packaging matters: China’s eco-conscious young shoppers want sustainability. But are there enough options?
In recent years, some of China’s top online shopping portals and distribution companies have taken action to reduce plastic and paper use and replace non-biodegradable materials with washable boxes and recyclable packaging.  ,
While rival wholesale page JD.com has introduced similar environmental activities focusing on using sustainable packaging and recycling techniques, Taobao, probably China’s most popular shopping program run by the Alibaba Group, has been promoting the use of recyclable presentation through a” Green Parcel Initiative.”
The use of “green package” materials like paper and another biodegradables, rose this year by 20 per cent during the Singles ‘ Day sales time, read a review by , Alibaba’s study arm, the Ali Research Institute.
The Cainiao logistics messenger services, which frequently reuses packing materials like paper boxes and uses clean energy to “reduce up to 298, 000 tons of graphite emissions,” was also highlighted in the report.  ,
According to the review, warehouse workers have been “routinely sorting out” and recycling a total of 47.6 million paper boxes.  ,
But such measures are “far from enough” and only  , “baby stepping”, said Wang Songlin, founder and chairman of the Qingdao Marine Conservation Society ( QMCS), adding that show and food delivery services were also strongly reliant on cheap packaging- most of it single-use.
Guo Liangping, a Senior Research Fellow at the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore, criticized alternative activities and commitments made by Taiwanese e-commerce and delivery firms as “gimmicks.”  ,
Companies use these gimmicks because it’s fashionable and helps improve their ( public ) image, according to the company. But, it means much”, he told CNA.  ,
Some dealers and smaller businesses on the ground still find it challenging to live up to.
The owner of a Brazilian jiu jitsu clothing store on Taobao, who did not wish to be identified, shared her dilemmas of using biodegradable supply bags, which were” too thin and fragile” to carry purchases, especially large sports kits and gear.  ,
“Eco-friendly clothes bags are very thin and tear easily. These bags frequently fall off before they reach the customer, she told CNA, given the difficult vehicles approach from manufacturer to warehouse.
” I do what I can, using more eco-friendly materials, minimising packaging and skipping unnecessary freebies ( but ) I can’t completely avoid plastic right now”, she added.
