Shippers Innovate in Response to Packaging Legislation
Article from MHI Solutions Magazine
By now, just about everyone who shops online has experienced overpackaging. You order a few small items and receive an oversized box packed with void fill. Sure, you enjoy getting fast delivery of the products you need, but it’s hard not to bristle at the wastefulness, especially when you consider the enormous scale of leading e‑commerce operations.
For years, overpackaging has drawn the ire of consumers, who post photos on social media showing excessive packaging and complain of waste. Now, however, the pressure to right‑size shipping boxes isn’t just coming from environmentally conscious consumers—it’s coming from state legislators.
In June, the New Jersey Senate passed a bill limiting the size of shipping boxes for many retailers. The legislation likely will pass the General Assembly later this year and move to the desk of Gov. Phil Murphy, who can be expected to sign it. In 2022, Murphy signed a law banning polystyrene packing peanuts and requiring minimum levels of recycled content in packaging materials…
