Electronics Companies Say No to Plastic Packaging

Electronics companies like Nintendo and Sony are phasing out unsustainable packaging, with the industry focusing on more sustainable alternatives due to popular demand.

Nintendo recently announced it will be reducing the size of its Switch packaging – a move it hopes will both reduce waste and make more use of available space during shipping.

Meanwhile, Sony will begin phasing out plastic packaging for its smartphones, cameras and audio accessories from 2023. The Japanese conglomerate aims to eliminate plastic from all containers for newly designed smaller goods by 2025.

“Instead of plastics, we will mainly use paper, and a so-called ‘original blend material’ made from bamboo, used paper and squeezed sugarcane fibre,” said a spokeswoman for Sony.

Sony’s move to more sustainable packaging comes as consumer demand for it grows. A recent study of consumer sentiment found that 74% of consumers not only preferred sustainable packaging, but said they were willing to pay more for it.

Sony and Nintendo are not alone: Apple now uses 100% “responsibly sourced wood fibre” for its retail packaging, while Samsung announced in 2019 that it would begin to phase out plastic from its packaging materials.