Pilot Operation of Reusable Delivery Containers for General Products After Fresh Foods
Testing One-Touch Sealed 'New Fresh Bag'
Eco-Friendly Policy Expansion Planned
On July 22, Coupang announced that, following its use of the Fresh Bag?its reusable delivery container for fresh foods?it will become the first in the industry to introduce a reusable delivery container for general products, tentatively named the 'Eco Bag'.
Coupang Logistics Service (CLS), Coupang's logistics subsidiary, will conduct a pilot operation of Eco Bag deliveries in select camp areas in Incheon, Busan, and Jeju. In addition, in some areas of Incheon and Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, CLS will also test a new one-touch version of the Fresh Bag, which features improved materials and design.
Pang Logistics Service (CLS) introduces the industry's first ultra-lightweight reusable 'Eco Bag' and 'New Fresh Bag'. Provided by Coupang
The Eco Bag is a reusable container made from tarpaulin, a material commonly used for shopping bags. It is considered an evolution of Coupang's PB (Plastic Bag) packaging, which is represented by its boxless packaging approach. PB is a delivery envelope with a thin thickness of 0.05㎛, made from 100% recyclable material, contributing to resource circulation and recycling.
The Eco Bag not only offers environmental benefits but is also made from an ultra-lightweight material weighing at least 80g. It eliminates the need to remove delivery invoices and features a zipper design for easy retrieval of products, enhancing consumer convenience. Since the bags are collected and reused after delivery, the company explained that this reduces the burden on consumers to separate and dispose of packaging materials.
The 'New Fresh Bag', which is more hygienic and easier to open and close, uses lightweight materials such as expanded polypropylene (EPP) while improving insulation performance. Through multiple tests, Coupang developed the New Fresh Bag to offer enhanced insulation without significant weight difference compared to the original Fresh Bag. The company expects that, unlike the previous version, the New Fresh Bag does not need to be unfolded during collection, which will make the work easier for delivery staff. Previously, after a labor inspection of Coupang last year, the Ministry of Employment and Labor recommended that the company implement measures to reduce workload, noting that unfolding the Fresh Bag could increase the burden on workers.
CLS plans to review potential improvements during the pilot operation before considering a nationwide rollout. A CLS representative stated, "The pilot operation of the Eco Bag and New Fresh Bag is the result of significant investment in research and development as part of our eco-friendly policy," adding, "We will continue our efforts to ensure the successful adoption of our eco-friendly initiatives."
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