Can Circular Packaging Mitigate Black Friday's Waste Crisis?

Black Friday, famed for its massive discounts and shopping sprees, also leaves behind a staggering environmental footprint. 

As consumers scramble to grab deals, the waste from packaging and emissions from deliveries spiral out of control.

Black Friday has transformed into a global retail phenomenon. In 2023 alone, more than 90 million people in the US shopped online, while in-store purchases brought the total spend to US$9.8bn – a 7.5% increase from the year before.

In the UK, Collect+ processed more than 3.1 million parcels, while UPS handled more than 60 million deliveries in the US. These numbers illustrate the scale of consumption but also highlight its consequences.

The retail sector contributes around 25% of global carbon emissions annually and Black Friday intensifies this impact.

Each year, deliveries from Black Friday alone add 429,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Beyond emissions, there’s the issue of waste – packaging used for e-commerce often relies on non-recyclable materials, exacerbating landfill overflow.

Stora Enso, a leader in sustainable packaging, is working to tackle this issue with circular economy principles and bio-based solutions.

Simo Siitonen, Director of Sustainability and Head of Customer Value at Stora Enso, shares insights into how their packaging innovations could help curb the environmental costs of this annual shopping frenzy.

Stora Enso believes packaging solutions can play a transformative role in mitigating Black Friday’s environmental damage.

The case for bio-based packaging

Stora Enso focuses on bio-based, fibre-based packaging, which offers a renewable and recyclable alternative to conventional fossil-based materials.

Simo highlights its potential: “Switching to bio-based packaging, particularly fibre-based options, can, in the best cases, fully replace the use of non-renewable, fossil-based materials with renewable sources.

"This often leads to significantly lower carbon emissions, helping to mitigate the impact of climate change."

Unlike many plastic-based materials, bio-based packaging integrates seamlessly into a circular economy.

Circular economy principles aim to design products that minimise waste and maximise reuse, recycling and resource regeneration. Fibre-based materials align with this concept by offering greater recyclability, which prevents waste accumulation and extends the lifecycle of raw materials.

However, adoption of bio-based materials isn’t without its challenges. Achieving high performance for barrier properties, such as moisture and oxygen resistance, is still a hurdle for bio-based alternatives.

Simo acknowledges this limitation: “Currently, many fossil-based polymers outperform bio-based alternatives in certain applications, which limits broader adoption.

"However, significant development is underway to enhance the technical properties of bio-based barriers and paper-based materials.”

Innovations shaping the future

The future of sustainable packaging will depend on continuous innovation and broader adoption of circular practices.

Light-weighting, the process of designing packaging to use less material while maintaining durability, is a key trend.

According to Simo, virgin fibre-based materials are particularly promising for lightweight designs, offering better efficiency and reduced emissions compared to recycled grades.

“Another significant trend will be designing packaging for improved recyclability," he adds. "This shift is driven by regulatory changes and company goals to improve circularity in their packaging solutions."

Stora Enso is also advancing barrier technologies to meet performance demands without compromising sustainability. The focus on “fit-for-purpose design” ensures packaging avoids unnecessary complexity while balancing eco-design, recyclability and material efficiency.

Simo is optimistic about the industry's ability to transition towards greener solutions: “The packaging industry will need to identify new bio-based alternatives to reduce and replace the use of plastic. Fibre-based packaging applications hold great potential in this area.”

By investing in bio-based packaging and circular economy principles, companies like Stora Enso are showing that sustainable solutions can meet the demands of modern commerce.

The next step is clear: retailers and consumers must embrace these alternatives to reduce the environmental burden of shopping events like Black Friday. 

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