Boxing clever
E-commerce may be booming, but the packaging that items come in has become a concern for consumers. What can designers do to make packaging affordable, reliable and eco-friendly? Delivery services and e-commerce have seen a jump in demand as more people than ever are working, learning and socialising from home. This increase in online shopping has a downside, however – a corresponding rise in waste. These interrelated trends have shone a spotlight on the role of packaging. How a product looks – and ships – plays an essential role in the decision to buy an item, the process by which it arrives at a home and the way it eventually leaves. With the at-home economy likely to continue at least in the near future, increasing the sustainability of packaging will be key to reducing the carbon footprint of e-commerce.