P&G’s Eco-Box: Increased e-commerce convenience, decreased environmental impact

15 Nov 2018 --- Proctor & Gamble (P&G) is set to launch a new fully recyclable e-commerce liquid laundry detergent pack on the US market in January 2019, which will be available through all major e-retailers. The compact and light Tide Eco-Box is a bag-in-box design which contains 60 percent less plastic compared to the current 150 oz Tide press-tap. Significantly, the Tide Eco-Box does not require any secondary packaging or bubble wrap, enhancing its credentials further as an eco-conscious e-commerce solution.

The Tide Eco-Box is the first product launch from P&G Fabric Care’s eCommerce Innovation Group. Sundar Raman, Vice President of P&G’s North America Fabric Care business, describes the new design as “a fundamentally different approach than we’ve taken in the past.”

The Tide Eco-Box arrives on a shopper's doorstep in a sealed, shipping-safe cardboard box, containing a sealed bag of ultra-compacted Tide liquid laundry detergent. To use, a perforated cardboard flap is peeled off to reveal a dosing cup and a new “no-drip” twist tap.

To make dosing simpler on flat surfaces, the box includes a pull-out stand to raise its height which enhances the gravity-fed design and allows for the cup to fit easily beneath the tap.

The name “Eco-Box” is a nod both to eCommerce and the lighter shipping footprint these packages are designed to drive. Products sold online typically need to be packaged with a second or third layer of packaging like cardboard boxing and bubble wrap which is then discarded by the consumer.

“The Tide Eco-Box has been designed to reduce the environmental impact of shipping laundry detergent in eCommerce, which is a rapidly growing part of our business,” Elizabeth Kinney, Senior Communications Manager, P&G, tells PackagingInsights.

“The shipping weight for the current 96 load Tide press-tap of liquid detergent per container is about 12 lbs., and the weight for the compacted 96 load Tide Eco-Box wrapped for shipping is about 7.9 lbs.”

In addition to the weight-savings, the package is fully recyclable. “The outer corrugate box can be easily broken down and put into curbside recycling. The inner bag will be recyclable through our partnership with TerraCycle,” Kinney explains.

A more sustainable solution:

• Contains less packaging, 60 percent less plastic and 30 percent less water than the current 150 oz Tide press-tap;
• Doesn’t require any secondary re-boxing or bubble wrap;
• Is lighter because of its ultra-compacted formula, and;
• Takes up less space because of its boxed design, which means more loads of laundry can fit on fewer delivery trucks.

The Eco-Box has passed a number of industry certified tests to ensure the pack's durability along the e-commerce supply chain. As with any box, some minor damage could occur to the outer due to handling,” says Kinney. “But we’ve taken steps to ensure this will not affect the user experience once it gets to the consumer’s home.”

P&G says it will continue to innovate in the e-commerce space as it adapts its product offerings for growing consumer purchasing channels. “We have some pretty exciting e-commerce projects we’re working on, and that shouldn’t be surprising,” concludes Isaac Hellemn. “E-commerce isn’t a trend anymore, it’s a reality, and we’re excited to keep innovating for it.”

The rise in e-commerce has redefined the requirements of FMCG packaging from the supply chain to brand identity, presenting both challenges and opportunities. Read the PackagingInsights report on this growing trend here.

Just recently, Amazon announced that its new Frustration-Free Packaging (FFP) incentive program will extend beyond the US and Canada to now include France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. The e-commerce giant is incentivizing vendors from these countries to send specific products to Amazon fulfillment centers in packaging that require no additional packaging or further preparation by offering one-time early adopter credit for every item that adheres to the new requirements before 1 October, 2019. Read about it here.

By Joshua Poole