SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING AND STANDARDIZATION: EFFICIENCY STARTS AT THE BOX

In logistics, packaging is often underestimated. It is treated as a minor cost compared to transportation or inventory, even though it directly shapes both. In e-commerce, the box determines how much “air” you ship, how often products get damaged, how long it takes to pack an order, and how smooth returns will be. That is why, as online commerce scales, packaging stops being a branding decision and becomes a margin decision.

The pressure to rethink packaging is not theoretical. In Mexico, online retail reached MXN 789.7 billion in 2024, growing 20% year over year, and now represents 14.8% of total retail sales. Peak events amplify the impact: Hot Sale 2025 reported MXN 42.725 billion in sales (+23.7%), along with over 39 million units sold and an average ticket close to MXN 1,000. More orders mean more boxes, more void fill, more paid cubic space, and more return friction.

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Standardize to move better

One of the highest-return changes is standardization. Reducing the number of box sizes is not cosmetic, it is operational. Fewer packaging SKUs simplify replenishment, speed up pick/pack, reduce errors in box selection, and improve pallet and route consolidation. It also reduces the “just in case” packaging inventory sitting inside the fulfillment operation.

The main benefit is consistency. Operations that move from a long tail of box sizes to a focused set of core formats tend to stabilize packing time and reduce rework caused by resizing, repacking, or excessive void fill. Standardization also becomes the foundation for automation, because automation performs best when formats are predictable.

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Less material, lower logistics cost

Oversized packaging creates a chain reaction: more cardboard per order, more void fill, more shipped volume, lower truck utilization, and higher cost per unit. Parcel carriers price heavily on dimensional weight, or DIM (Dimensional Weight): when a box is large but light, you pay for space, not actual kilograms. That is why “shipping air” is expensive: it consumes capacity that could have carried product.

Industry analysis consistently points to the same lever: right-sizing reduces waste and lowers cost because it increases density, fits more parcels per route, and cuts unnecessary volume. This matters even more when last mile is the most expensive leg and customers demand fast delivery.

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Sustainability that improves the P&L

Sustainability does not always mean higher spend. When designed correctly, it often saves money. The logic is straightforward: less material reduces cost; less volume reduces cost; fewer damages reduce replacements; easier returns reduce operational friction. Packaging is also the most visible “waste footprint” of e-commerce, so efficiency and sustainability tend to converge.

Large-scale operators are moving in that direction. Amazon reported a 16.4% reduction in plastic packaging in 2024 and highlighted ongoing packaging-reduction and right-sizing efforts; it has also stated that 12% of orders shipped without added packaging in 2024 and that its programs have helped avoid more than 4 million metric tons of packaging since 2015. The takeaway is not to copy Amazon, but to recognize the pattern: less packaging can be a productivity strategy, not only a sustainability message.

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Key decisions when redesigning packaging

A serious redesign is not just “use recyclable materials.” It is system design. Strength vs. weight: lighter materials reduce transport cost, but if they increase damage the net result is negative. Automation compatibility: standardized formats simplify sorting and handling. Open/close usability: this impacts returns and reconditioning, because re-sealable packaging reduces friction and cost. Damage reduction: every point of damage avoided prevents replacements, claims, and rework.

The core principle is simple: packaging should be designed for the end-to-end chain, not for the product in isolation. If it does not work with fulfillment flow, transportation constraints, and returns behavior, it becomes a multiplied cost.

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When packaging is designed for the whole chain

Packaging does not end at the customer’s door. It moves through the warehouse, transportation, last mile, and often the return path. In e-commerce, where scale and competition are measured in cents per order, the right box becomes a real efficiency lever: less air, less damage, less material, and more operational consistency.

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