Behind the scenes
Record sales at Galaxus: sunscreen is selling like crazy
by Manuel Wenk
Here's why we use plastic to protect your purchases
29.11.2022
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
Pictures: Christian Walker
Many of our customers – and you might be one of them – are annoyed with the plastic air pillows that we use to prevent their orders from being damaged. Alternatives include cardboard bits, crumpled paper and cornstarch packing chips. But our plastic filler air pillows still come out ahead.
But we can’t go completely without filler materials; your products would clomp around unprotected in the parcels, which would also lead to them getting dents and holes more easily.
There are, however, alternatives to plastic – alternatives that may initially make a greener impression. But are they really better both for us humans and the environment? Here’s the short answer: our solution is not only cheaper, it’s also less harmful to the planet.
Cardboard might sound good, but it’s not greener
By the way, like cardboard, plastic air pillows can be recycled. Unfortunately, there aren’t yet comprehensive collection points for them in Switzerland.
Half strength
The same applies to cornstarch chips – the modern version of Styrofoam chips. Cornstarch chips take up even more space in trucks and warehouses than paper or cardboard; this worsens their environmental footprint and makes them impractical for large logistics operations. Ten rolls of air pillow film are equivalent to a whole truck full of cornstarch chips for us.
What’s more, cornstarch chips are often disposed of incorrectly – be it because there’s no compost or green waste collection available, or because some people are unaware of the water disposal trick or simply stuff the chips into the normal trash, as they don’t know any better.
The organic substitute is expensive
Best-case scenario: no plastic air pillows at all
We also ship smaller items such as cell phone charging cables without filler material. These fit into envelopes – and postage is cheaper to boot. We also put clothing in resealable plastic bags. And for products like diapers or air conditioners, which are already packaged sturdily enough, we just stick on the shipping label directly.
As you can see, we’ve put plenty of thought into how we ship your order. Of course, that’s not to say we’ve got it all figured out. If you do have any constructive criticism or ideas, please let us know in the comments.
Alex Hämmerli
Senior Public Relations Manager
Alex.Haemmerli@digitecgalaxus.chAt Digitec and Galaxus, I’m in charge of communication with journalists and bloggers. Good stories are my passion – I am always up to date.
Sustainability
Follow topics and stay updated on your areas of interest
Behind the scenes
News about features in our shop, information from marketing and logistics, and much more.
Show all
