Why your next Amazon UK delivery will look different
Amazon UK says it is now using multiple different types of transport and new ways of packaging to help cut down on waste.
Earlier this year, the group announced the UK’s largest-ever order of electric trucks (eHGVs), as well as launching its first rail deliveries across the country and on-foot deliveries in central London.
It has also recently made changes to its packaging and delivery options to be more environmentally friendly.
Planes, trains, and automobiles
This includes 140 new electric Mercedes-Benz Truck eActros 600 trucks and eight Volvo FM Battery Electric trucks are joining Amazon’s transport network as part of the UK’s largest-ever electric heavy vehicles (eHGV) order.
Once fully operational, these new eHGVs are expected to transport more than 300 million packages each year with no exhaust emissions. The new electric trucks will haul trailers with products and packages to and from our fulfilment centres, sort centres, and delivery stations.
To support the expanded fleet, Amazon said it will install additional fast charging infrastructure across key UK sites, including 360kW electric charging points capable of charging the 40-tonne Mercedes-Benz trucks from 20% to 80% in just over an hour. The new electric trucks will have a range of 310 miles (500km) on full charge.
For the first time in the UK, Amazon has also launched rail deliveries at scale.
Products are loaded onto train carriages on the fully electric West Coast Main Line, which runs between Scotland and the Midlands. The products are then picked from stations close to local Amazon delivery and fulfilment centres – ready for sorting and packing ahead of customer deliveries.
More than 20 million products are expected to travel on the UK’s electric rail network in 2025, avoiding traffic congestion and carbon emissions, with plans to expand across further rail routes before the end of the year.
Local deliveries
Customers in central London can now also receive their orders through on-foot deliveries, brought to doorsteps with the help of carts that are restocked on the go from vans dotted around the capital.
Developed in partnership with the London Boroughs of Westminster and Islington, this helps Amazon and our delivery partners more zero-exhaust emission deliveries than ever before, with fewer motorised van trips.
More than 70% of London’s Congestion Charge zone is now covered by electric vans, e-cargo bikes, and on-foot deliveries operated by Amazon’s partners.
Why is the packaging different?
One in two Amazon orders in Europe are now delivered without an Amazon box. Instead, they arrive in reduced packaging—like paper bags, cardboard envelopes, or sometimes with no added packaging at all. This helps avoid unnecessary waste and makes recycling at home easier, the group said.
“When it’s safe to do so, we ship items in their original product packaging with just a shipping label attached—for example, a toaster in its branded box or a multipack of nappies in its retail bag. This approach is called ‘Ships in Product Packaging’.
“Our engineers created simulated delivery tests to determine which products can ship safely in their original packaging. Using machine learning, we continue to identify more items suitable for this programme, helping reduce waste while ensuring products stay protected,” it said.
Amazon noted that customers will see a message on the product detail page and at checkout when an item might ship in the product packaging.
“If you’re buying a gift or prefer your order to remain private, you can choose to add Amazon packaging for free with just one click at the checkout,” the group said.
When added packaging is required, Amazon said it aims to use as little as possible.
In the UK, we’re installing automated packing machines that build made-to-fit packaging for each order. These machines use sensors to measure the exact size of a product and create a fitted paper bag around it. This means less empty space, fewer materials used, and packaging that’s easier to recycle. The machine applies shipping labels directly, making each package ready for immediate dispatch to customers.
