Marks and Spencers - Be Ashamed - Outrageous over packaging

jackieb

I ordered some room spray from M&S as they were out of stock instore (I had a code for free p&p). When it came there was this thin bottle, about 7-8 inches high, and a huge box - must've been about 2ft wide! The box was just filled with bubble wrap. I actually took a picture of the bottle next to the box and packaging but must've deleted it.

Mama_Cookie

I am an online retailer & i have the following stated on my "about" page:
We at xxxx xxxx xxxxx are passionate about reducing our own carbon footprint and always strive to use recycled card and packaging materials when mailing goods, although some gifts do require bespoke, specialist protection.
To date I have had no need to purchase any packaging atall as it is possible to re-use packaging from my suppliers. Friends & family also know to save me all they can. I also advertise for people to save it for me. Obviously i do not have the volume of sales that Marks & Sparks have but surely it would be cheaper to employ the extra manpower to sort & re-use all packaging from their suppliers than it costs to purchase new. Maybe they do re-use. I also have a sticker on all parcels that states "please re-use or re-cycle me". It is FSC paper but even so I sometimes wonder if it would be kinder to to the enviroment to have no sticker atall. I often pack things out with carrier bags, they weigh very little & have a life expectancy of as long as it takes to get from the supermarket to the kitchen, they then hang around for......well no-one has ever lived long enough to find that out.
I am intending to last two whole weeks withot buying anything with plastic packaging, components, casing & so on. Harder than it sounds. that's most items fom the DIY store out of the question & what if i need a new toothbrush, sunglasses, mobile phone, fabric conditioner, biros, dish washer tablets, bottled water.............will i cope, I think so

Ben84

Mama_Cookie wrote: »

I am an online retailer & i have the following stated on my "about" page:
We at xxxx xxxx xxxxx are passionate about reducing our own carbon footprint and always strive to use recycled card and packaging materials when mailing goods, although some gifts do require bespoke, specialist protection.
To date I have had no need to purchase any packaging atall as it is possible to re-use packaging from my suppliers. Friends & family also know to save me all they can. I also advertise for people to save it for me. Obviously i do not have the volume of sales that Marks & Sparks have but surely it would be cheaper to employ the extra manpower to sort & re-use all packaging from their suppliers than it costs to purchase new.

Probably not. These big companies can order packaging in bulk much cheaper than small companies, so the cost of sorting and cutting up old packaging and turning it in to new packaging adds up when we consider the cost of hiring people to do this. Even at minimum wage, staff in the UK are often some of the most expensive staff in the retail business. There is also a fashion in big business to try to standardise everything.

Mama_Cookie wrote: »

Maybe they do re-use. I also have a sticker on all parcels that states "please re-use or re-cycle me". It is FSC paper but even so I sometimes wonder if it would be kinder to to the enviroment to have no sticker atall.

Could you instead print this message on the invoice?

Mama_Cookie wrote: »

I often pack things out with carrier bags, they weigh very little & have a life expectancy of as long as it takes to get from the supermarket to the kitchen, they then hang around for......well no-one has ever lived long enough to find that out.
I am intending to last two whole weeks withot buying anything with plastic packaging, components, casing & so on. Harder than it sounds. that's most items fom the DIY store out of the question & what if i need a new toothbrush, sunglasses, mobile phone, fabric conditioner, biros, dish washer tablets, bottled water.............will i cope, I think so

Plastics are everywhere in modern life and perhaps not such the environmental horror we're often told they are. I think it depends really. Plastics can be good, they can replace much more harmful materials (ivory and tortoiseshell for example) and often contain less energy and resources than other materials (glass and metal). They may even be more durable in some situations. I don't see anything wrong with buying sunglasses or a mobile phone, they can and ideally will be used for many years with plastic providing a strong lightweight (these are items you will carry around a lot) material to make them from. Maybe reconsider the throw away plastic bottles and pens however, this is where plastics being so cheap in modern financial terms encourages wasteful habits.