In a bid to eliminate the use of single use plastic in packaging, Flipkart has announced that it will move towards a 100% recycled plastic consumption in its own supply chain by March 2021. The company said in a statement that as of August 1, 2019, it reduced usage of single-use plastic by 25%.
As part of its long-term sustainability initiatives, Flipkart says that it is working on various initiatives including the introduction of eco-friendly paper shreds, replacing poly pouches with recycled paper bags, replacing bubble wraps and airbags with carton waste shredded material and 2 Ply roll, among others.
Flipkart has also filed for the EPR (Extended producer responsibility) and is targeting 30% collection back in first year to begin with. Flipkart also wants to use Recycled content in single-use plastic to boost the recycling ecosystem and reduce virgin plastic consumption.
“Over the course of the next year, customers can expect to see even more measures in the plan to cut down on plastic including e-comm ready packaging from brands and recycled paper bags for packaging,” it said.
“At Flipkart, we believe that sustainable business practices not only help us preserve our environment, but make us more efficient and ensure longevity. Creating alternatives for single-use plastic packaging is one of the significant steps we have taken towards fulfilling our commitment to create a sustainable ecosystem. Our long-term vision is to eliminate the use of plastic and maximise the use of recycled and renewable materials” said Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Group CEO, Flipkart.
Flipkart says that it has been working on deploying sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic for its packaging such as multi-use belts, recycled paper-based pouches, and carton waste shredded material. “In phases, these have been replacing stretch film, polythene pouches, and plastic fillers such as bubble wrap and air-bags,” the company said in a statement.