Amazon has initiated a trial for bio-based delivery bags in Spain as part of its efforts to develop sustainable packaging solutions. The new bags, made from European-sourced vegetable materials like corn starch and vegetable oils, are being tested for Amazon Fresh orders in Valencia. Developed in collaboration with Italian company Novamont (part of Versalis, Eni) and Amazon’s materials scientists, the bags are designed to be durable, food-safe, and weather-resistant.
“Our new Amazon Fresh bio-based bags provide protection against spills and condensation while being less impactful for the planet. They are made from renewable, food-safe materials derived from plants,” said Alan Jacobsen, Amazon’s Materials & Energy Sciences Director.
The bags, which use Novamont’s Mater-bi™ material, can be mechanically recycled. Customers in Valencia can return used bags to drivers, after which local recycling partners convert them into pellets for Novamont to produce new bags. According to Amazon, 75% of Valencia-based customers in the trial expressed satisfaction with the new packaging, citing its biodegradability and reusability.
Novamont CEO Catia Bastioli emphasized the significance of the collaboration, stating, “Experimenting with Amazon is an exceptional opportunity to showcase our Mater-bi materials, which are biodegradable, compostable, and partly derived from biomass. This trial helps evaluate their performance in resource regeneration and environmental impact.”
In parallel, Amazon is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy’s BOTTLE Consortium and start-up EsterCycle to advance low-temperature recycling technologies for bio-based materials. The process aims to break down biodegradable plastics into reusable building blocks, offering an alternative to composting.
Beyond the trial, Amazon and Novamont are exploring bio-based solutions for packaging applications such as yogurt cups and coffee pods, co-financed by Circular Biobased Europe. Since 2015, Amazon’s broader packaging initiatives have eliminated over three million metric tons of materials, with a focus on recyclable and reduced packaging across Europe.
This pilot underscores Amazon’s commitment to creating a circular economy in the packaging sector.