Peak season strains labor, space and shipping costs—but it’s also when sustainable packaging has the biggest impact. By right-sizing, standardizing and using on-demand systems, operations can cut waste, lower TCO and boost loyalty without adding work when it matters most.
When Demand Surges, Sustainability Shouldn’t Slip
Peak season means a surge in order volume, rising shipping costs and tighter timelines. Limited labor and warehouse space further heighten the challenges. For many operations and supply chain leaders, efficiency, speed and accuracy dominate the agenda. Meanwhile sustainability goals often fall by the wayside.
Yet this is precisely when packaging choices are most visible and impactful. During the 2024 holiday season, U.S. consumers spent a record $241.4 billion online—an 8.7% increase from the prior year. At the same time, customer expectations for responsible packaging have never been higher: in one study, over 60% of consumers said they’d be willing to pay more for a product with sustainable packaging. And 77% of executives report that sustainability initiatives increase customer loyalty.
A key challenge, however, is that sustainability practices are often deprioritized amidst peak season demands. The solution is to embed sustainability into everyday operations, so it delivers value automatically. With the right approach, companies can cut waste, lower total cost of ownership (TCO) and strengthen brand loyalty—all without adding extra work when it matters most.
Below are three packaging strategies that bolster sustainability year-round and prove especially valuable during peak season.
1. Right-Sizing Packaging
Nothing slows operations (or frustrates customers) like oversized packaging. Large boxes waste material while also creating inefficiencies across the supply chain: excess void fill or cushioning material, fewer parcels fitting onto a truck or pallet, and higher dimensional (DIM) weight that leads to increased shipping costs.
By right-sizing packaging, brands immediately minimize material usage, reduce freight costs and improve sustainability outcomes. Shifting certain SKUs from boxes to mailers is a popular move. A curbside-recyclable paper mailer or lightweight poly alternative can not only reduce environmental impact but also make packing faster, easier and less labor-intensive. The ripple effects extend to logistics too: more packages per truck means fewer trips, lower fuel usage and reduced emissions.
Peak season advantage: Right-sizing is an all-around win. It means less waste, less cost and faster throughput, all with sustainability built in.
2. Standardizing Across Facilities
Sustainability often suffers when packaging strategies vary across sites. A lack of consistency leads to material overuse, mismatched carton sizes and unnecessary complexity in procurement and training.
By standardizing packaging where possible, companies unlock both efficiency and sustainability benefits. Imagine if five facilities use boxes with additional dunnage while five others ship the same SKUs in recyclable mailers. Standardizing to the more efficient option immediately cuts material usage, reduces labor and streamlines training while advancing ESG goals.
Peak season advantage: Standardization means fewer decisions during crunch time, tighter control over costs, a more consistent unboxing experience for the customer, and a clear path to measurable sustainability results.
3. On-Demand Packaging Systems
Warehouse space is at a premium during peak season, and keeping large inventories of packaging materials only adds to the challenge. On-demand packaging systems create protective materials right when you need them, saving space and giving teams the flexibility to use void fill only where it makes sense.
This shift not only optimizes space but also reduces the carbon footprint of storing, transporting and managing excess materials. Automated systems increase throughput, minimize labor needs and improve consistency. These represent critical factors when teams are stretched thin.
Peak season advantage: On-demand packaging gives operations the agility they need while embedding sustainability directly into the process.
The Built-In Win-Win of Sustainability
Peak season doesn’t have to mean putting sustainability on hold. With right-sizing, standardization and on-demand systems, operations leaders can keep their focus on speed, accuracy and cost control while sustainability takes care of itself.
At Pregis, we believe the smartest packaging strategies are the ones that deliver multiple wins at once—operational efficiency, cost savings and environmental responsibility. By designing sustainability into your process, you set your business up for success during peak season and beyond.
