The company announced on May 7 that it will install hundreds of made-to-fit packaging systems across its European fulfilment centers by 2027, with more than 70 machines planned for Germany, the UK, France, Italy, and Spain by the end of this year.
This initiative marks Amazon’s largest European investment in sustainable packaging to date and brings its custom packaging technology to the region for the first time. The automated systems are designed to create right-sized boxes and paper bags on demand, minimizing material use and maximizing delivery efficiency.
“In order to reduce waste, we need to reduce packaging,” said Pat Lindner, Amazon’s VP of Mechatronics and Sustainable Packaging. “This investment is a significant step forward in reducing the environmental impact of deliveries for our European customers.”
Packaging that fits — and protects
The new machines will create custom cardboard boxes in real time by scanning each product’s dimensions and generating a perfectly fitted package. The automation also applies shipping labels directly, streamlining the packing process and eliminating unnecessary materials.
For smaller or more flexible items, Amazon has developed a machine that produces made-to-fit paper bags using heat-sealing technology and weather-resistant, recyclable paper. These lightweight bags—up to 90% lighter than comparable cardboard boxes—were tested in Germany and the UK and will now be rolled out across additional European markets. On average, each shipment packed in this format avoids more than 26 grams of packaging.
Additionally, Amazon is deploying a Universal Robotic Labeller that uses up to 75% smaller labels and can apply them to paper bags or directly onto items that ship in their own packaging. This allows some products to be delivered with no additional Amazon packaging at all.
Long-term impact on packaging reduction
This initiative builds on Amazon’s broader commitment to reducing packaging waste. In Europe, one out of every two Amazon shipments already arrives in reduced or no packaging. Since 2019, more than a billion packages have been delivered through the company’s Ships in Product Packaging programme.
Globally, Amazon reports having reduced per-shipment packaging weight by 43% since 2015, avoiding more than 3 million metric tons of packaging—the equivalent of nearly 300 Eiffel Towers.
The machines will be installed gradually across Europe through 2027, with over 70 systems expected to be operational by the end of 2025.