A decade after the UK implemented a plastic bag levy that transformed shopping habits on the high street, the explosive growth of e-commerce in the fashion sector has led to a significant increase in the use of plastic for online deliveries. This situation has sparked demands for new legislation to align with changing consumer expectations regarding online fashion plastic packaging.
According to recent data from sustainable packaging firm DS Smith, 76% of UK consumers still receive their fashion orders packaged in plastic, even though 69% advocate for a transition to paper packaging. Only 4% of those surveyed believe that plastic is always necessary, while 38% consider it superfluous.
The UK has emerged as the largest market for e-commerce plastic delivery bags among major European nations, with 941 million shipped to consumers last year alone. These findings come ten years after the plastic bag levy was introduced, which has successfully reduced single-use plastic bag usage in UK stores by 98%.
However, since the levy does not apply to online deliveries, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has reported an increase in plastic bag sales for the first time in a decade, driven primarily by the rise of e-commerce.
DS Smith warns that this delivery loophole could undermine the environmental progress achieved thus far. Preliminary research indicates that nearly seven billion plastic bags could be utilized for UK deliveries by 2030, amounting to over 130,000 bags used every hour. Alarmingly, less than 10% of these online fashion plastic packaging bags are either reused or recycled, with the majority ending up in incinerators or landfills.
“Consumers are clearly expressing their desire to eliminate unnecessary plastic from their fashion orders, with many supporting more robust measures, including legislative changes,” remarked Samantha Upham, senior sustainability manager at DS Smith. “Legislation should adapt to consumption trends to reflect the rapid expansion of e-commerce and promote a level playing field that fosters innovation.”
For fashion retailers, this data underscores increasing consumer dissatisfaction, as well as heightened scrutiny from regulatory bodies and NGOs. DS Smith has collaborated with brands to eliminate around 1.7 billion plastic items since 2020, asserting that scalable solutions are available, such as recyclable paper packaging and alternative materials sourced from hemp, seaweed, and agricultural by-products.
Dr. Regina Frei, a professor specializing in sustainable and circular systems at the University of the Arts London, noted that the issue extends beyond the actions of individual brands.
“While most plastics are technically recyclable, many, particularly soft plastics, are often not recycled in practice. Instead, they are incinerated, landfilled, or carelessly disposed of in massive quantities,” she explained. “We urgently need to replace plastics with more sustainable and less harmful materials, alongside responsible management of any plastics currently in use.”
Polling data shows that two-thirds of UK consumers prefer that online fashion retailers eliminate plastic packaging, and 52% support legislative actions such as extending the plastic bag levy to cover online deliveries. However, only 30% of shoppers are in favor of personally paying a tax on plastic packaging, with 44% opposing such measures.
DS Smith is collaborating with major retailers to bridge this gap, and some fashion brands have already transitioned from plastic to paper packaging. Nevertheless, brands that continue to rely on online fashion plastic packaging may find themselves at odds with evolving regulations and shifting consumer expectations.
