Amazon India expands packaging-free shipping to over 100 cities

New Delhi: Amazon India on Wednesday said it has expanded its packaging-free shipping (PFS) to over a 100 cities in India as part of its sustainability efforts.

PFS - an India-first initiative - was launched in June last year in nine cities.

"With this expansion of PFS, more than 40 per cent of Amazon customer orders shipped from Amazon India's Fulfilment centers are now packaging-free or have significantly reduced packaging. With PFS, multiple customer orders are secured and transported in reusable totes during deliveries," a statement said.

The company said the PFS algorithm leverages technology and is applied to orders based on parameters like the location of the customer, distance the order has to travel and the category of product ordered.

Products that are shipped packaging-free include tech accessories, home and home improvement products, shoes, luggage, and others.

Liquids, fragile items, and personal care products that need additional protection during transportation continue to be shipped with packaging.

"At Amazon India, we are aggressively working towards building innovative and sustainable packaging solutions which will help us minimise waste. We have been working with several brands to provide e-commerce friendly packaging to further reduce use of secondary packaging," Amazon India Director (Customer Fulfilment and Supply Chain) Prakash Kumar Dutta said.

The expansion of PFS to 100 cities within a year is a testament to Amazon's commitment towards sustainability, he added.