Coupang announced on the 22nd that it will introduce the industry's first reusable delivery container for general products, called 'Eco Bag' (tentative), following the reusable delivery container for fresh food, Fresh Bag. It will also conduct tests of the 'New Fresh Bag', a one-touch version that improves upon the material of the existing Fresh Bag.
Coupang Logistics Service (CLS) is piloting the Eco Bag delivery in certain camp areas of Incheon, Busan, and Jeju, while testing the new Fresh Bag in some areas of Incheon and Siheung, Gyeonggi Province.
'Eco Bag' is a reusable container made from tarpaulin material commonly used for shopping bags. It has improved upon Coupang's PB (Plastic Bag) packaging, which is characterized by boxless packaging. The currently used PB is a delivery bag made from a thin material (0.05㎛·1㎛ is 0.001㎜) and is produced from 100% recyclable material. Coupang expects that the introduction of this reusable Eco Bag will enable more eco-friendly deliveries.
The Eco Bag is not only environmentally friendly but also made from a super lightweight material of at least 80 grams, eliminating the need to remove the delivery slip, and allowing consumers to easily take out products with its zipper design, enhancing consumer convenience. Coupang explained that because the Eco Bag is collected and reused, it alleviates the hassle of consumers having to separate and dispose of the delivery packaging.
'New Fresh Bag' uses lightweight materials such as 'expanded polypropylene' (EPP) while maintaining high insulation properties. Additionally, unlike the existing Fresh Bag, the New Fresh Bag does not need to be unfolded when collected, thereby reducing the workload of delivery workers. The Ministry of Employment and Labor recommended last year to devise measures to reduce work burdens, noting that 'the task of unfolding the Fresh Bag could increase the work burden.'
A CLS official said, 'We will continue to make efforts to ensure that the eco-friendly policy is firmly established.'