In 2023, Vietnamese e-commerce will use 170 thousand tons of packaging and plastic materials

Plastic waste is becoming a serious environmental problem in the e-commerce era, where online shopping is increasingly popular. Each online order often comes with plastic packaging such as bags, wraps and containers, creating a huge amount of plastic waste.

PLASTIC WASTE FROM E-COMMERCE IS INCREASING RAPIDLY

According to Mr. Do Huu Hung, CEO of Accesstrade, the global e-commerce platform market in terms of revenue is estimated to be worth 6.8 billion USD by 2023 and is poised to reach 21.0 billion USD by 2032, increasing grow at a CAGR of 13.7% from 2023 to 2032.

Vietnam’s digital economy is on track to reach approximately 45 billion USD by 2025 (CAGR 20%), thanks to expectations of strong economic growth. E-commerce (B2B, B2C) is expected to reach about 24 billion USD by 2025 with a CAGR of 22%.

Although e-commerce brings many benefits and convenience to consumers, its negative impact on the environment cannot be ignored.

According to a study conducted within the framework of the Project on Reducing Ocean Plastic Waste in Vietnam jointly implemented by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Vietnam Department of Seas and Islands, by 2023, commercial Our country’s e-commerce has used 170 thousand tons of packaging and plastic materials of all kinds. With an average growth rate of over 25% per year, it can be seen that by 2030 the amount of plastic waste generated from e-commerce will be very large. The negative impact on the environment does not stop at the scale of plastic waste but also in the location and nature of the waste.

First, most e-commerce is concentrated in large riverside and coastal cities such as Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Can Tho, Nha Trang increase the risk of plastic waste directly entering the sea.

Second, packaging and plastic materials used in e-commerce are mainly plastic bags and plastic utensils such as plastic straws, plastic spoons and forks, foam boxes… These are plastic products that are difficult to biodegrade. learn and use once.

Third, most flower parcels are packaged directly by hundreds of thousands of merchants, so the technology is outdated and does not pay attention to environmental protection standards.

CHALLENGES OF VIETNAM E-COMMERCE

Over the past ten years, e-commerce in Vietnam has developed extremely strongly with a growth rate of 16-30% per year. According to Vietnam’s 2023 E-Commerce White Paper, retail e-commerce revenue in Vietnam increased by 25% compared to 2022, reaching 20.5 billion USD. However, according to Ms. Le Hoang Oanh, Director of the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy, despite rapid and continuous growth, Vietnamese e-commerce still faces a number of limitations and shortcomings.

First, e-commerce revenue only accounts for 8% of the country’s total retail revenue of consumer goods and services, lower than the world average of 19.4%. Second, e-commerce development is only concentrated in a few big cities, while other localities need to narrow this gap. Third, violations of consumer rights in e-commerce are quite common, affecting consumer trust and the development of e-commerce.

And fourth, according to Ms. Oanh, e-commerce has not yet developed sustainably due to limited human resources and negative impacts on the environment, especially in the field of online retail with delivery and packaging.

According to the leader of the Department of E-Commerce and Digital Economy, e-commerce is developing according to global trends, with a focus on green commerce and sustainable e-commerce. “We are witnessing some new trends, and if Vietnam does not keep up, our e-commerce may stagnate and not reach its full potential,” Ms. Oanh said.

Returning to the issue of single-use plastic products and non-biodegradable plastic packaging, Vietnam’s Environmental Protection Law has strict regulations.

From January 1, 2026, do not produce or import non-biodegradable plastic bags with dimensions less than 50cm x 50cm and a film thickness of less than 50 µm, except in cases of production proposed for export or production. , imported to package products and goods for sale to the market.

Organizations and individuals that produce and import single-use plastic products and non-biodegradable plastic packaging must take responsibility for recycling and treatment according to regulations.

However, according to a survey by the Vietnam E-Commerce Association (VECOM), very few e-commerce businesses and traders know and have appropriate plans to use alternative packaging and materials. .

The Vietnam E-Commerce Association believes that protecting the environment and reducing plastic waste in the online environment requires the cooperation of many stakeholders.

It is known that at the end of this year, the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy of the Ministry of Industry and Trade will advise the Ministry of Industry and Trade to submit to the Government the e-commerce development plan for the period 2026-2030. The main content focuses on sustainable e-commerce development, including strengthening the protection of consumer rights, narrowing the e-commerce development gap between regions, and proposing solutions to promote green and sustainable e-commerce.