La Poste and Aroma-Zone launch an experiment for the return of reusable delivery packaging

From this September onward, La Poste is rolling out an unprecedented trial of reusable delivery packaging with cosmetics company Aroma-Zone. This initiative aims to test, under real-life conditions, a complete packaging reuse loop, from making the packaging available through to putting it back into circulation.

La Poste is embarking on a new stage in the development of reuse solutions for e-commerce by launching a trial for the return of reusable delivery packaging supplied by Opopop. Supported operationally and financially by Citeo, the trial aims to study, under real-life conditions, an industrial model for the reuse and large-scale return of packaging, complementing existing individual approaches, based on the pooling of flows and the operational coordination of several La Poste business units.

A complete reuse loop

As part of this trial, Opopop, a provider of reusable packaging solutions, supplies Aroma-Zone with reusable packaging intended for shipping e-commerce orders.

Colissimo handles parcel delivery to one of the 22 Pickup partner collection points, a La Poste subsidiary specialising in out-of-home delivery, participating in the trial and located across the Île-de-France, Occitania and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur regions. Once the goods have been collected, customers are invited either to unpack their parcel, place the empty packaging in the La Poste collection bin designed for this purpose and leave with their purchase, or to return the reusable packaging from their order at a later date.

Consumers are made aware of the benefits of reuse and encouraged to return their packaging through parcel tracking notifications. Additional communication tools are also deployed within participating Pickup collection points to support this action.

Partner Pickup collection points gather the packaging in dedicated containers that allow bulk collection. Once the filling threshold is reached, Log’issimo teams, La Poste’s local logistics entity, collect and transport them through a pooled and tracked transport system. The packaging is then sent to a Log’issimo sorting platform before being transported to Opopop for refurbishment and subsequently reintegrated into a new cycle of use.

A trial with a view to larger-scale deployment

The objective of this trial is to validate the feasibility of an industrial reuse model based on pooled flows and large-scale returns. It also aims to identify areas for improvement at each stage of the logistics journey, measure the effectiveness of consumer incentive mechanisms and better understand the factors driving the adoption of reuse. A consumer study will complement the operational findings of the trial. Results will be assessed using several indicators, including packaging return rates, actual reuse rates and the effectiveness of incentive messaging.

This trial illustrates La Poste’s ability to offer an integrated reuse solution based on its territorial network, logistics infrastructure and the complementarity of its business activities. It should help assess the conditions required for a future rollout on a larger scale, supporting the development of more responsible e-commerce packaging solutions.

In this respect, the scheme tested by La Poste and Aroma-Zone will benefit other e-commerce companies that are members of the e-commerce packaging reuse coalition led by Circul’R, a strategic consulting firm specialising in the circular economy. Expanding the trial to a larger number of brands will enable La Poste to further refine its operational and economic model.

How to use and return your reusable packaging?

1. The customer receives their Aroma-Zone order
The parcel is delivered by Colissimo in reusable packaging to the Pickup collection point selected when placing the order.

2. They collect their purchases and choose their return method
Two options are available:

•  Unpack the order directly at the retailer’s premises and place the packaging in the dedicated collection bin
• Or return the empty packaging later via their Pickup collection point or a street mailbox.

3. The customer is guided
Notifications and information materials support the process from the moment the order is placed through to collection at the Pickup collection point.

4. The packaging enters a new usage cycle
Packaging gathered in the collection bins is collected, transported, sorted and requalified before being put back into circulation for new shipments.

“At Aroma-Zone, we are convinced that the transition towards more responsible e-commerce requires concrete solutions that are simple for our customers and capable of operating on a large scale. This trial with La Poste allows us to test, under real-life conditions, a new packaging reuse loop while also studying consumer behaviours and expectations. The ambition is to reduce the environmental impact of our shipments while offering a simple and accessible experience to our customers,” says Laurent Lucasson, Director of Operations at Aroma-Zone.

“In this trial, La Poste is bringing together its delivery expertise through Colissimo and its local logistics expertise through Log’issimo in support of the circular economy. We are demonstrating that a delivered parcel can also become the starting point of a reuse loop, provided that consumers are offered a simple, seamless and well-supported journey,” explains Thibaut Lamaury, Director of Innovation and Partnerships at Colissimo.