Getting a delivery is almost always exciting, but sometimes, you're left disappointed if what you ordered is much smaller than the box it came in.
Such an incident occurred with an Amazon customer, who shared their account on r/mildlyinfuriating.
What happened?
"A package! I wonder what's inside," they wrote above the post, which provided three photos of a medium-sized box filled with a small Lexar brand solid state drive, which took up a fraction of the space.
What's more infuriating is that the item features a sticker that reads, "Thank you for joining our efforts to protect the environment," suggesting that reducing packaging waste is one way to do so.
"I know it's wasteful, but at my age, all I can think is, 'That's a good box. May come in handy one day,'" one person said.
"So climate friendly," shared someone else.
One user wrote, "That is so hilarious and so true. … It's an issue."
However, one commenter revealed that a deeper issue could be at play, writing, "I used to work in the packaging department of an Amazon warehouse. I promise we hated this too. The system tells us which box to use and if we deviate from that we could get in trouble."
Perhaps that was the culprit, though without more information, there's no way to know for sure.
Why is packaging waste concerning?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, over 82 million tons of containers and packaging waste wind up in landfills or the environment each year. While cardboard isn't nearly as harmful as plastic, it can decompose more slowly in landfills due to a lack of oxygen and moisture.
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Just a flashlight 🔦 The additional cost of shipping is also likely to be paid by consumers, and the increased use of resources such as water, land, and energy to create extra boxes puts strain on the planet.
Is Amazon doing anything about this?
As the commenter explained, it could be a vendor issue, as they sometimes enter incorrect dimensions into the system for an order, which leads to oversized shipments.
However, Amazon is taking steps to become more sustainable in terms of packaging. According to its website, the company is working to eliminate unnecessary packaging and has reduced single-use plastics in deliveries by around 16% since 2024.
It also uses machine learning to "determine the most efficient packaging for each order," which means less space is required in delivery vehicles, reducing pollution and shipping costs.
What's being done about packaging waste more broadly?
Best Buy has partnered with packaging giant Sealed Air to develop more eco-friendly recycled bubble cushioning and air pillows, and it is offering free recycling for packaging made with virgin plastic. In addition, Australian company The Packaging People is rolling out sustainable e-commerce packaging made from compostable options.
To support these efforts, consider backing companies that strive to reduce their plastic use. Additionally, if you frequently order from Amazon, consider checking if you can bundle your order at checkout to reduce packaging waste.
You may also have an option to have your item shipped in its original packaging rather than Amazon packaging.
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