IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO RECYCLE

According to the CSO, five million people, or roughly 57 percent of people over the age of 16, shopped online in 2021 and spent CZK 223 billion, according to APEK. This was a 44 percent increase in sales compared to the pre-cide year 2019. During the pandemic, the Czech Republic ranked among Europe's e-commerce superpowers. Only the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Ireland have more people shopping online.

In short, e-commerce has become a driver of the global economy over the last few years. However, with this growth has come an increase in waste, which can have serious environmental impacts. According to a study carried out by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, more than 78 million tonnes of plastic packaging materials are consumed each year, of which less than 14% is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills or in the oceans, with disastrous environmental consequences.

While the production of recyclable packaging may require a higher initial investment, it reduces costs in the long term. According to another survey, 70% of e-commerce companies said that reducing the cost of packaging was the main reason for switching to recyclable materials. These not only protect the environment, but are also cost-effective and enhance reputation with customers.

Indeed, today's customers are increasingly aware of the environmental impact of their purchases. According to a survey conducted by Nielsen, 73% of young people are willing to pay more for products from brands that are committed to sustainability. Packaging Digest, for its part, has claimed that up to 60% of consumers prefer e-shops that use recyclable and environmentally friendly packaging.

It's not surprising when you consider that we produce 300 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, almost equivalent to the weight of the entire human population, and much of this waste is packaging from online shopping. In our country alone, more than 3 million tonnes of municipal waste are produced each year. Non-environmental packaging, particularly plastic packaging, makes up a significant proportion of this, and more than 40% of it ends up in landfill or is inadequately treated.

From these few lines, it is clear that we could not have gone in any other direction ...