Plastic Free Packaging Alternatives: Switching Fully to Cardboard Postal Boxes

Why go plastic-free

Consumer demand, regulatory pressure, and genuine environmental concern are driving businesses to eliminate plastic from packaging. The UK Plastic Packaging Tax, EPR regulations, and retailer requirements all make plastic-free an increasingly smart business decision as well as an ethical one.

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Consumer preference: 70%+ of UK consumers prefer cardboard over plastic packaging

Plastic Tax: £210.82/tonne on plastic packaging with under 30% recycled content

Retailer mandates: major retailers increasingly require recyclable packaging from suppliers

Quick answer

Replace plastic tape with paper tape, bubble wrap with honeycomb paper, poly bags with paper mailing bags, and plastic void fill with crumpled kraft paper. Corrugated postal boxes are already plastic-free. The supporting materials are where plastic typically hides. Making these switches creates a fully recyclable, plastic-free packaging experience that customers appreciate and regulations reward.

What to switch

Plastic items to replace0 / 5 checked

Plastic tape to paper tape or water-activated tape

Bubble wrap to honeycomb paper wrap or corrugated inserts

Plastic void fill (peanuts, air pillows) to crumpled kraft paper

Poly mailing bags to paper mailing bags or postal boxes

Plastic stretch wrap to paper-based alternatives where possible

Plastic-free alternatives

Modern honeycomb paper wrap provides comparable cushioning to bubble wrap for most products.

No need for customers to remove it before recycling the box.

Crumpled kraft paper fills voids, cushions products, and is compostable.

For most items the cost difference is minimal, often under 10p per parcel.

More eco guidance: recyclability guide or sustainability goals.

Implementation steps

Audit your current packaging for all plastic components. Source alternatives for each. Trial them with your products to ensure adequate protection. Switch one material at a time to manage costs and ensure quality. Communicate the change to customers on your website and social media.

From ProcuraPack