Retail and e-commerce – March 2025

Developments in retail
Ecommerce Europe has published an article about a Fevad report on e-commerce in France. In 2024, e-commerce continued its strong momentum, reaching a record €175.3 billion in online sales, a 9.6% increase compared to the previous year. This growth is mainly driven by a sharp rise in transaction volumes and the initial effects of slowing inflation.

Reusable packaging
In partnership with the U.S. Plastics Pact, Closed Loop Partners has released new insights to support the ongoing expansion of reuse in the U.S. The report is an actionable guide for consumer product categories which are most likely to succeed for reuse in the U.S. The report identifies five high-priority product categories primed for near-term implementation of reusable packaging, including food, personal care and home care. This serves as a guide for businesses looking to pinpoint packaging formats best suited for reuse, to help meet single-use waste reduction goals. You can download the report after filling in your details.
The NextGen Consortium, led by Closed Loop Partners has released results from the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project, the first initiative to catalyse reuse across an entire U.S. city. The report reveals a milestone for the reuse movement: enough of the project’s purple cups were successfully returned for the reuse system to produce environmental benefits when compared with a single-use alternative. You can download the report after filling in your details.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has published a report (3.36 MB) which focuses on reuse in the Global South. The Global South's established reuse systems offer proven foundations for circular solutions. By building on this practical expertise rather than adopting single-use models, the transition to a circular economy can be accelerated and increased waste and pollution can be avoided. This report shows how businesses, policymakers, and the informal sector, can collaborate to create the enabling conditions for reuse to thrive at scale.
The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (in Dutch) has published the Reuse Roadmap 2030 for Supermarkets (in Dutch, 2.25 MB). The report consists of a shared vision for industrial reuse of supermarket packaging, an outline of the ecosystem and guidance on routes forward with and without legally binding reuse targets.

Consumer shopping behaviour
According to a report (12.5 MB) by Capgemini, generative AI is transforming shopping, with 71% of consumers wanting it to be integrated into their purchasing experiences. The preference of Gen Z and Millennials, for hyper-personalisation and seamless digital experiences is mainly driving this trend. The report finds that technological innovation, shifting financial priorities, and increasing sustainability awareness are fuelling consumer behaviours.
Akeneo has released survey data focused on consumer holiday return behaviour and the role product information can play in reducing returns, supporting sustainability efforts and boosting profitability. 62% of consumers believe having more accurate product information upfront would reduce their likelihood of making a return, and in fact, 59% said they had made a return specifically because the online product description was misleading or inaccurate.
 

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