Amazon has announced the rollout of advanced automated packaging technology across its European operations, marking its largest regional investment in sustainable packaging to date. The initiative aims to improve delivery efficiency, reduce waste, and lower emissions by introducing made-to-measure packaging for customer orders.
The company plans to install hundreds of automated machines in its fulfilment centres across Europe, with over 70 set to be operational in Germany, the UK, France, Italy, and Spain by the end of 2025. Additional deployments are scheduled through to 2027. The machines are designed to create custom-fit cardboard boxes and paper bags, significantly reducing excess packaging and optimising delivery logistics.
Amazon’s custom box-making technology—being introduced to Europe for the first time—uses sensors to measure items and produce precisely sized boxes in real time. The machines apply shipping labels directly, enabling immediate dispatch and reducing the need for additional packaging materials. The system is particularly suited to heavier or fragile items that require more protection than paper-based options.
In parallel, Amazon is expanding a made-to-fit paper bag solution that has been tested in Germany and the UK. The machines, retrofitted from older plastic bag systems, use heat-sealing and weather-resistant paper to create recyclable bags that avoid the need for padding. According to the company, this approach cuts an average of 26 grams of packaging per shipment and results in paper bags up to 90% lighter than similarly sized cardboard boxes.
The company is also deploying new labelling equipment, known as the Universal Robotic Labeller, which can apply significantly smaller labels—even on irregularly shaped items. These smaller labels reduce material use and can be applied directly to products that ship in their own packaging, eliminating the need for Amazon-branded outer packaging.
Pat Lindner, Vice President of Mechatronics and Sustainable Packaging at Amazon, said the move represents a significant step towards reducing the environmental footprint of its European operations. “To reduce waste, we must reduce packaging. By using machine learning and automation, we can create fit-to-size packaging that protects products while cutting down on unnecessary materials,” he stated.
Amazon says that currently, half of its European deliveries already ship without a box or use reduced, recyclable packaging. Since 2015, the company claims to have cut the average weight of packaging per shipment by 43%, avoiding more than 3 million metric tonnes of packaging material—equivalent to the weight of nearly 300 Eiffel Towers.
The initiative forms part of Amazon’s broader efforts to make its supply chain more sustainable, including its “Ships in Product Packaging” programme, through which more than one billion orders have been shipped without additional packaging since 2019.
