Amazon introduces change to parcel deliveries across UK from this week

Amazon has made a key change to deliveries across UK addresses this week. Amazon has invented a shock-proof, lightweight paper envelope in the UK that’s designed to be recycled at home and is rolling it out "wherever possible".

Amazon scientists and engineers worked with packaging industry expert Mondi to develop the new paper-padded envelope. The new envelopes, which have started landing on UK doorsteps, protect deliveries without using any plastic content.

“Amazon stopped using traditional bubble-wrap padded envelopes in Europe several years ago, which presented a challenge to develop light, flexible and fully recyclable paper packaging that provides the same protection,” said Thais Blumer, European Head of Sustainable Packaging for Amazon. “Achieving both low weight and maximum protection with a 100% recyclable paper envelope was not an easy task, but these envelopes are easy to pack, simple for customers to recycle at home, and enable damage-free deliveries.”

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“Together with Amazon, we spent several months testing our designs, evaluating various padding options such as honeycomb and embossed bubble paper. Ultimately, open-flute padding — a flat paper sheet attached to a sheet of ridged paper — proved to be the best solution,” Pedro Cuesta, a packaging engineer from Mondi, explained.

“Creating a plastic-free padded mailer for ecommerce packaging has been an exciting collaborative journey towards a more sustainable future. We are proud that Amazon customers all over Europe could soon be receiving orders in these envelopes.”

The new paper-padded envelopes are available in three sizes and can be used to protect single and multiple items. These include common everyday purchases ranging from skincare and health supplements to home and office items, as well as toys.

When packaging is reduced, Amazon can also fit more packages into every van, leading to fewer journeys and bringing us closer to our goal of being net-zero carbon across our operations by 2040.