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Online shopping to shape standards for goods packaging

Friday, March 23, 2012 - 09:50 by Graham Miller

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The popularity of shopping online has already been shown to have increased the number of consumer goods that are sent via independent delivery services.

However, now the Trading Standards Institute could initiate a new set of rules, which govern how items which we order through e-commerce sites are packaged.

There are concerns relating not only to the efficiency and safety of products which are packaged to be sent off to consumers, but also the environmental sustainability of the methods which are used and the packaging material itself.

The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (INCPEN) has weighed in on this issue according to myHermes. Working with the regulators, it has developed some guidelines which will be used by e-commerce firms when they prepare to deliver items ordered through safe shopping online.

INCPEN spokesperson, Jane Bickerstaffe, spoke out about the changes, stating that it would be beneficial for retailers to remain flexible in their approach to packaging products ordered online if they want to remain compliant with regulations.

Trading Standard Institute representative, Andy Foster, also commented on the matter, identifying the fact that many retailers could actually save money by becoming compliant, which should make it easier to swallow the pill of changing to encompass new approaches to packaging goods.

Many business across the UK are looking to reduce the carbon emissions caused by their activities, as are consumers. That is why it makes sense from the point of view of branding, for retailers to think about how they package items before they are sent out for delivery.

Consumers can play their part by asking for multiple items to be delivered at the same time if they are ordering from a site like Amazon. This will save on packaging and also cut down on the amount of energy which is expended to get the items to your door.