Moving forward, nearly all orders shipped in plastic mailers from fulfillment centers and stores and all marketplace items shipped with Walmart Fulfillment Services will arrive in recyclable paper bag mailers.

Walmart today announced the news steps it will be taking to help make its omnichannel packaging more sustainable by adopting measures designed to reduce the amount of packaging waste associated with online orders. This includes moving from plastic to recyclable paper mailers, right-sizing corrugated cases, giving customers the option to consolidate shipping on e-commerce orders, opting out of single-use plastic bags for online pickup orders, and last-mile delivery efficiencies to reduce mileage and delivery times.

According to the retailer, hundreds of millions of packages are shipped to customers from Walmart each year. Moving forward, nearly all orders shipped in plastic mailers from fulfillment centers and stores and all marketplace items shipped with Walmart Fulfillment Services will arrive in recyclable paper bag mailers. This transition is expected to eliminate 65 million plastic bag mailers or more than 2,000 tons of plastic from circulation in the U.S. by the end of the current fiscal year.

Additionally, customers nationwide will soon have the choice to opt out of single-use plastic bags for their online pickup orders. According to Walmart, early tests indicate promising adoption rates and the potential to eliminate millions of single-use bags each year from circulation. The retailer says it expects to complete rollout nationwide by the end of the year.

“Our commitment to regeneration is core to who we are and how we innovate at Walmart,” says Karisa Sprague, senior vice president, Fulfillment Network Operations, Walmart U.S. “Customers have told us how excited they are about these enhancements to make it easier for them to make more sustainable choices that support the planet and the next generation.”

Right-sized packages and consolidated shipping

Walmart is also helping reduce the amount of corrugated used to ship products to customers by transitioning to right-sized packaging technology from PackSize in approximately half of its fulfillment network. This technology helps create a package custom fitted to the customer’s order. Explains PackSize, by eliminating unused space in the box, this technology reduces the need for filler by 60% while reducing waste caused by oversized boxes by as much as 26%, creating a better unboxing experience for customers.

Additionally, all Walmart customers shopping online can now request consolidation of multiple items into fewer boxes, reducing waste as well as the number of shipments.

Faster delivery, fewer miles and boxes

Finally, Walmart is utilizing applied AI to identify when an item purchased online can be fulfilled from stores instead of fulfillment centers. According to the retailer, this reduces both the number of miles driven and the number of boxes used for shipping. To ensure that items can more sustainably travel from stores to customers’ homes, the retailer combines multiple orders on single delivery routes and delivers them using electric vans. By leaning on its 4,700 stores as fulfillment centers, Walmart activates its end-to-end network to speed up delivery times for customers and reduce fleet miles and emissions, in line with the its commitment to achieve zero emissions by 2040.

“With a Walmart store located within 10 miles of 90% of the U.S. population, we can make a meaningful difference for our customers by strategically using our stores and last-mile delivery network to reduce waste and emissions,” says Jennifer McKeehan, senior vice president of End-to-End Delivery at Walmart U.S. “I’m proud of the efforts we’ve made and will continue to make as we keep regeneration at the forefront of delivery.”

With a 27% growth in Walmart’s eCommerce, the retailer says it is continuing to invest in the right omnichannel capabilities to not only meet customers’ changing needs but also to continue to grow its business and fulfillment network in a more sustainable way.

“The enhancements announced today represent a key milestone in Walmart’s journey to make the everyday choice the more sustainable choice for customers, regardless of how they shop,” says the retailer. “These changes, powered by technology, driven by Walmart’s purpose, and activated by Walmart’s omnichannel reach, are emblematic of how the retailer is activating its commitment to becoming a more regenerative company by placing people and planet at the center of its growth.

“These efforts are part of Walmart’s commitment to becoming a more regenerative company, which means prioritizing social and environmental issues that are relevant to its business, important to its stakeholders, and issues where Walmart can make a positive difference.”

PW