The Packaging Digest references a paper by Ameripen called "Optimizing Packaging for an E-commerce World," which says that even though consumers don't really differentiate between the various distribution channels that their packaging should reflect those differences.

“Opportunities to invest in further development of the packaging supply chain for e-commerce and subsequently omni-commerce scan the breadth of distribution channel and solutions will come only through industry collaboration and transparency,” says the 15-page White Paper issued January.

According to the authors Bob Lilienfeld of Ameripen Kyla Fisher of Three Peaks Sustainability, the packaging must demonstrate a commitment toward sustainability. “(T)he industry is not fully discussing the fact that you must look at the economic, environmental and social impact of both the product and the packaging, including the primary, cushioning and transport components,” Liliefeld told Packaging Digest.

The perception is that e-commerce uses excessive packaging, adds Fisher, in the same story. But she says that more study is needed here — that the disposal of packaging has shifted from retailers to consumers. To that end, the authors feel that the outcomes depend on the variables used to assess the data and that such measurements should extend for the entire product cycle.

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