Next time, hand back plastic packaging to Flipkart delivery boy!

As per the initiative, Flipkart would conduct a pilot project to collect plastic from consumers at select hubs across Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Dehradun, Delhi, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.
The lit company logo is seen at India's giant online retailer Flipkart's headquarters in Bangalore. (Photo | AP)
The lit company logo is seen at India's giant online retailer Flipkart's headquarters in Bangalore. (Photo | AP)

E-commerce giant Flipkart has launched an initiative aimed at increasing awareness among consumers on sustainable practices.

As per the initiative, Flipkart would conduct a pilot project to collect plastic from consumers at select hubs across Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Dehradun, Delhi, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

“Under the programme, Flipkart will send out intimation to consumers asking them to voluntarily hand over plastic packaging to Flipkart ‘wishmasters’ for its proper disposal, at the time of product delivery.

"The collected packets will then be sent to registered vendors to ensure it is disposed of responsibly to avoid ending up in landfills,” the e-tailer stated.

The e-tailer said it would also train its workforce in explaining various facets of the initiative to the consumers for maximum participation.

Claiming it to be an industry-first initiative, Flipkart said the programme is in continuation with its sustainability agenda under which the company has reduced the utilisation of single-use plastic by 33 per cent and aims to move towards 100 per cent recycled plastic consumption in its supply chain by March 2021.

“The recent pilot programme ensures that our biggest stakeholder — consumer — is one of the key enablers of this initiative and will help drive awareness. We are proud to be the first-ever e-commerce marketplace to channelise plastic packaging back into the system through door-to-door collection with the help of our ‘wishmasters’.

We believe a collective approach of all stakeholders would help us in achieving the dream of a Swachh and Samridha Bharat, and the country’s vision to phase out single-use plastic,” said Rajneesh Kumar, chief corporate affairs officer, Flipkart Group.

Other green initiatives of the e-commerce giant

Flipkart said that it is working on various initiatives, including the introduction of eco-friendly paper shreds, replacing poly pouches with recycled paper bags, replacing bubble wraps and airbags with carton waste shredded material and 2-ply rolls, as part of its long-term sustainability initiatives.

The e-commerce firm said that it aims to replace 40 per cent of its existing last-mile fleet of delivery vans with EVs by March 2020.

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