China unveils packaging regulations to tackle waste and boost recycling in express delivery sector

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed a decree of the State Council to publish a revised edition of regulations on the express delivery sector, which will take effect on June 1. The revised rules, containing 15 articles, encourage the use of biodegradable and reusable materials alongside optimized packaging design to reduce waste.

The regulations place emphasis on sustainable packaging practices, aiming to build an eco-conscious logistics system that serves urban and rural populations. Express delivery companies are also urged to innovate technologies to address the high cost of green packaging.

In recent years, self-service stations for parcel pick-up have become a preferred option for express delivery among many Chinese consumers. According to a 2023 report by the Development and Research Center of the State Post Bureau, China’s parcel delivery network includes over 230,000 self-service stations, collectively serving up to 700 million clients daily.

Hali Tsao, an operations manager at a self-service parcel station in Chongqing, China, tells Packaging Insights: “Paper-based packaging can be beneficial for delivery, depending on the specific scenario. When used for packaging clothing, it is not particularly helpful for us to work with. However, when used for household items, it proves to be much more effective.”

“Nowadays, many brands have adopted eco-friendly paper bags for clothing delivery. However, using such materials for packaging can lead to higher express delivery costs. Weather conditions, like rainfall and snow, can significantly increase the risk of packaging damage during transit, potentially compromising the quality of products received by consumers.”

Collaboration for circularity

Beyond the private sector, the regulations define the responsibilities of government departments, enterprises, and consumers in supporting R&D in green packaging, reducing secondary packaging, and promoting recycling initiatives.

Code scanners with image capture functionality at self-service parcel stations can electronically record proof of parcel pickup.According to the State Post Bureau, China’s express delivery sector consumed roughly 9.922 billion packaging boxes and 16.985 billion meters of adhesive tape in 2022 alone. Meanwhile, the country’s parcel delivery sector handled approximately 174.5 billion parcels in 2024.

In a bid to enhance upstream governance, the regulations advocate for greater collaboration between express delivery firms, product manufacturers, and e-commerce platforms.

Delivery station recycling

Among the regulations’ key measures is the promotion of direct shipment in original product packaging to reduce the need for additional layers of packaging during transit.

“Some items must be wrapped in multiple layers to ensure they remain intact during transport. Many customers would discard the secondary packaging when picking up at the self-service parcel stations,” shares Tsao. 

“The advantage of eco-friendly packaging in express delivery would be that it can be sorted more easily. If any customers wish to reuse eco-friendly cardboard boxes, we provide the ones we’ve collected and cleaned free of charge.“

”Every delivery station is also equipped with recycling bins, so we can directly place the remaining packaging materials there and then take them directly to the recycling station for proper disposal,” she says.