Reducing packaging waste has become a key decarbonization strategy for e-commerce companies. (Photo: Unsplash)
From the moment an order is placed to the time a package arrives at a customer’s doorstep, competition in e-commerce is no longer defined solely by speed. Increasingly, it is also about minimizing carbon footprints.
Packaging is one of the largest sources of emissions in the e-commerce sector. As environmental awareness grows, Taiwan’s leading online retailers have stepped up efforts to reduce packaging waste, from reusing cardboard boxes and introducing reusable shipping bags to launching packaging-free delivery services.
A review by RECCESSARY of packaging reduction initiatives across four major e-commerce platforms found that most efforts fall into four main categories: ship in original packaging, recycled cardboard boxes, packaging-free delivery, and reusable shipping bags. As packaging materials are classified as Scope 3 emissions, they are likely to face greater disclosure requirements as sustainability regulations continue to tighten.
Lotus Huang (黃郁婷), a KPMG accountant specializing in assurance services for packaging reduction programs, noted that while packaging is an important area for emissions reductions, it represents only one part of the broader decarbonization challenge facing e-commerce companies. Warehousing and logistics emissions, she said, also require long-term planning and investment.
Store-to-store logistics underpin Shopee’s packaging-free model
Shopee Taiwan launched its packaging-free delivery service in 2025, becoming the first e-commerce platform in Taiwan to offer a logistics option that eliminates outer boxes and single use packaging materials. The initiative is designed to help sellers reduce packaging costs and fulfillment time while lowering environmental impacts. Less than a year after its launch, the number of users has grown rapidly from fewer than one million to 4 million.
Unlock this interview to learn three key takeaways:
- Taiwan’s first packaging free delivery service has attracted 4 million users on Shopee, though ensuring product protection during transportation remains a key challenge.
- Momo’s reusable packaging program is supported by 15,000 collection points. The initiative reduced carbon emissions by 91.44 metric tons in 2024, with incentives offered to encourage returns.
- Packaging falls under Scope 3 emissions. As disclosure rules tighten, e-commerce companies will face greater scrutiny, while warehousing and logistics decarbonization will also need attention.
