The e-commerce return crisis is reaching a breaking point. A large share of online purchases is sent back, and many returned products end up in landfills. This environmental catastrophe is largely preventable through better product information.
The environmental cost is devastating:
- A large share of online purchases returned every year
- Returned products that end up in landfills instead of back on the shelf
- Unnecessary carbon emissions from double shipping
- Packaging waste from double packaging
- Chemical waste from destroyed returned products
We call on the European Commission to:
- Establish mandatory standards for product information quality in e-commerce
- Require transparency in return rates and environmental impact reporting
- Create incentives for businesses adopting technologies that improve product information accuracy
- Set clear guidelines for product description completeness across all e-commerce platforms
As experts in e-commerce product information management, we've seen how accurate product information reduces return rates.
This isn't just an environmental issue: it's an economic one. Every return costs retailers shipping, handling and often the product itself. Better product information benefits everyone: consumers make better choices, businesses save money, and our planet suffers less.
(Signing the petition only takes an email address and a name, and you can do so anonymously)
Every signature brings us closer to change.
Social Media Hashtags: #StopEcommerceWaste #BetterProductInfo #SustainableEcommerce #ReduceReturns
