Life Cycle Assessment of Reusable and Single-Use Packaging Systems in E-commerce

Abstract

The fast-growing e-commerce has accelerated the demand for single-use packaging, increasing the environmental impact related to manufacturing, waste, and transportation. In this respect, reusable packaging has gained significant attention as an alternative in the transition to a more circular economy. This paper evaluates how three decisive parameters-reuse rate, amount of stock kept in idle, and transport mode affect the environmental performance of reusable packaging compared with single-use packaging for both B2B and B2C logistics. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted using the Re-Zip packaging system as a case study, analysing two reusable packaging types: the corrugated box and the kraft bag. The assessment covers seven midpoint impact categories and compares operational scenarios related to idle stock and transportation. The optimized scenario assumes 30 use cycles, with a best-case idle stock ratio, transported via e-cargo bike in the last mile. Results show that the environmental benefits of reusable packaging are highly conditional. The Re-Zip box achieves environmental parity with the single-use box after only 2 to 3 cycles under BAU conditions, while the Re-Zip bag requires between 4 and 10 cycles to break even with the single-use LDPE bag. These results are highly dependent on the two variables of idle stock ratio and transportation, where the worst scenario nearly doubles CO2eq in comparison with the best. The Re-Zip box under optimized circumstances reduces total environmental impacts up to 65% relative to BAU. This study generally concludes that reusable packaging has the potential to significantly reduce environmental impacts if the system is operated efficiently through effective pool management, minimized idle inventory, and sustainable logistics.