We spend a lot of time thinking about the best way to deliver products to our customers, including how they’re packaged. And when it comes to the packaging, we start with protecting the product to ensure orders will arrive undamaged. From there, we find ways to use less packaging, while prioritizing curbside recyclable materials.
- Total packaging reduction: Since 2015, we’ve avoided 4.2million metric tons of packaging—the equivalent weight of more than 480 of Seattle’s iconic Space Needle.
- Plastic packaging reduction: In 2024, we reduced our total plastic packaging globally by 16.4% by 9% across Amazon’s global operations network, building on a 17% reduction in 2022. Altogether, we’ve avoided 152,062 metric tons of single-use plastic packaging since 2020.
- Delivered without any packaging: In 2024, we shipped 12% of our orders globally without any additional Amazon packaging.
Let’s take a closer look at the work our teams are doing globally to build on these achievements.
Shipping in product packaging
Our first priority is to remove packaging altogether when possible and we’ve found that sometimes the best solution is to use what already exists. Our Ships in Product Packaging program tests and certifies products that can ship safely to customers in their original manufacturer’s packaging—without an additional Amazon box, envelope, or bag. This minimizes the packaging used for delivery and allows packages to take up less space in delivery vehicles, increasing our truck fill rate.
In 2024, 18 million unique products were certified for the Ships in Product packaging program and shipped to customers in North America and Europe. We use machine learning to identify products that will ship safely to customers this way, and work directly with selling partners to redesign their packaging so their products can test and certify for this reduced packaging program.
Initially the program was primarily offered to vendors, but in February 2024, we expanded the program to allow sellers to participate when using Amazon’s fulfillment network in North America and Europe. In 2024, nearly 2 million new seller products were certified to ship in their own product packaging through seller engagement, machine learning, and product testing that helps identify qualifying products.
Expanding paper-based packaging
When additional Amazon packaging is required to ship a product, we prioritize paper-based packaging solutions where possible. This packaging can often be recycled through home recycling pickup.
Across our European fulfillment network we replaced our single-use plastic delivery bags and air pillows with 100% recyclable paper and cardboard packaging that can be recycled in household recycling in 2022. In Europe, this—combined with other initiatives—has helped us avoid more than 1 billion single-use plastic delivery bags since 2019. Meanwhile, in India, we removed single-use, thin-film plastic packaging originating from Amazon’s fulfillment network in the country since 2020. In Japan, except for some services such as chilled or frozen products, we stopped packing items in single-use plastic delivery bags for orders from Amazon fulfillment centers.
As of October 2024, we’ve removed all plastic air pillows from our delivery packaging used at our global fulfillment centers. As part of this transition, we were able to quickly expand our use of paper filler made from 100% recycled content across North America to replace plastic air pillows, our biggest reduction in plastic packaging in North America to date.
We continue to innovate to create new paper-based packaging for our products. This includes the new paper-padded envelope with a shock-absorbent, 100% paper-based lining, available in Europe. The ridged lining keeps products in the envelope safe, and absorbs stress put on the package during its journey to customers’ homes. This new paper-padded envelope is 100% recyclable in household recycling.
Scaling innovations
In 2023 we announced our first U.S. automated fulfillment center to fully eliminate single-use plastic delivery packaging. To do this, our engineers reimagined machinery that previously used plastic, and retrofitted the machines to use a new type of more durable, weather-resistant paper with heat-sealing technology. We also invented new machines with improved made-to-fit technology and transitioned from plastic air pillows to paper filler made from 100% recycled content. This was the first step in a multi-year effort to transition North America fulfillment centers to paper.
We have retrofitted more than 120 of our automated packing machines that made plastic bags to now create made-to-fit paper bags across the U.S. We implemented this in more than 20 fulfillment centers, helping us avoid more than 134 million plastic bags in 2024. Through our testing and learning, we have developed a new generation of this machine. Updates allow for us to pack larger products, helping to increase the number of products that can be packaged in paper bags by 20%. New sensors on the machine help us measure all dimensions of a product, allowing us to create more correctly sized packaging, reducing the amount of paper we use. Variations of this automated, packaging technology, which cuts made-to-fit paper bags for individual items, are being used in North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia.
We continue to reduce the amount of plastic per package. In 2024, 56% of fulfillment centers in North America did no ship plastic delivery packaging. As a result, we saw a significant year-over-year decrease in the number of shipments that contained single-use plastic delivery packaging in North America, from 65% of shipments in 2023 to 37% in 2024.
Reducing packaging
When an item needs additional Amazon packaging to ensure a damage-free delivery, we aim to use as little packaging as possible. Amazon has designed and built models to determine the most efficient type of packaging for each item it learns about, helping reduce the number of cardboard boxes, filler, tape, and bags used. These models are already widely used in fulfillment centers in North America and Europe, with components being rolled out in additional locations across India, Australia, and Japan.
For example, we often opt to use envelopes and bags for delivery, which are up to 90% lighter than a similar-sized box. In 2024, in North America and Europe, nearly 50% of Amazon’s shipments were delivered in lightweight packaging, such as bags or envelopes.
Looking ahead
We will continue to find ways to reduce packaging and increase the use of materials that can be easily recycled. We are committed to improving how orders are shipped, for the good of customers and the planet, and we will continue to share these progress updates with our customers.
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