Boox: Reusable delivery boxes launch in UK as customers ‘will not stand wasteful packaging any more’

In 2020, the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs reported that UK parcels were producing 5.5 million tonnes of paper and cardboard waste.

Matt Semmelhack, CEO and Co-Founder of Boox (BOOX)

A Californian company is bringing its reusable delivery boxes to the UK after opening a £1m HQ in Grimsby.

Boox, which makes reusable delivery boxes for brands like REN Clean Skincare, Lululemon, Boyish Jeans, and Ouai, has announced a 20,000 square foot facility in the Lincolnshire town.

The company says more and more brands are seeking to improve their sustainability and reduce wasteful packaging for consumers. In 2020, the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs reported that UK parcels were producing 5.5 million tonnes of paper and cardboard waste.

One study by marine conservation group Oceana found Amazon alone produced 270,000 tonnes of packaging last year, although the online retailer disputes the figure.

The Independent spoke to Matt Semmelhack, CEO and Co-Founder of Boox, who says online retailers and logistics companies can no longer afford to ignore packaging waste because customers won’t stand for it.

“Ultimately, I do think this is driven by consumer sentiment, and it’s very clear now which direction that trend is heading,” he said.

“Consumers want more sustainable products, and brands that are slow to adapt will lose market share or be phased out completely.

“Our message to companies is ‘stop sending your customers trash’.”

Boox’s packaging is designed to be shipped, returned, then reused over and over again, reducing waste and clutter.

Its first reusable shipping option, the Boox Box, allows retailers to cut down the environmental impact of normal cardboard boxes by 70 per cent or more after 10 shipments, the company claims.

“We are increasingly hearing from large global corporations that are seeking more sustainable solutions, not just for the marketing halo to their consumers, but because they are being directly incentivised to make impactful change to their business,” Matt adds.

“We’ve worked hard at Boox to create a solution that is actionable today, rather than a futuristic concept. This is no longer a ‘nice to have’ it’s a ‘must have’."