A surge in online fashion retail is reversing years of progress in reducing plastic packaging, as new analysis has revealed that nearly seven billion plastic delivery bags are expected to be used in the UK in the next five years, highlighting a growing divide between e-commerce shopping and retail efforts to curb waste.The study conducted by consultancy Development Economics and commissioned by packaging giant DS Smith reveals that the UK is the largest individual market for plastic e-commerce delivery bags among Europe’s major economies, using approximately 150 million more than Germany in the last year. Online fashion retailers delivered 941 million plastic bags to UK shoppers in 2024, equating to 2.6 million bags per day.
