On March 12, 2025, the State Council of China held an executive meeting to review and approve a draft decision amending the "Interim Regulation on Express Delivery." This action aims to address the pressing issues of express packaging by promoting green, reduced, and recyclable packaging solutions.
The meeting underscored the importance of reinforcing the primary responsibility of express delivery companies while guiding and regulating upstream manufacturers, merchants, and downstream consumers to ensure supply chain governance. Each link in this chain is expected to take on its share of environmental responsibility. This approach will help cultivate a positive social environment for green development, encouraging companies to actively participate in sustainable packaging practices and collaborate effectively with upstream and downstream partners and consumers.
Short-term Challenges and Long-term Opportunities
Junjun XU, the Deputy Director of the YTO Express Development Research Center, noted that the core of this amendment is to tackle packaging pollution in the express delivery sector. The goal is to make express packaging more environmentally friendly, resource-efficient, and reusable, thereby reducing waste associated with excessive packaging. It represents both an "environmental test" for the express delivery industry and a valuable opportunity for transformation and upgrade.
The amendment will compel express delivery companies to invest in technological upgrades to optimize packaging processes, packaging design and adopt eco-friendly materials. They will be encouraged to collaborate with e-commerce platforms to promote direct-to-consumer packaging. Although this could increase short-term operational costs, authority assures that supportive policies will be introduced to facilitate green transformation of express packaging, effectively reducing operational costs associated with packaging, recycling, cleaning, and distribution. From a long-term perspective, these changes will enhance operational efficiency and strengthen brand image.
