China's Express Packaging Mandate at One Month: Standardization Reaches 86%, Yet Tape Abuse and Bloated Gift Boxes Persist

August 6, 2026

One month has passed since July 1, when China's first mandatory national standard specifically targeting excessive express packaging, the Requirements for Limiting Excessive Express Packaging, came into force. Based on field visits in multiple regions and industry data, the 'big box for small item' practice in express packaging has dropped significantly; however, tape overuse and the 'bloated' look of traditional goods packaging still need to be addressed, and the sector's green transition is moving into deeper water.

I. Express packaging: standardization gains, local gaps remain

Data previously released by the State Post Bureau shows that the industry-wide packaging standardization rate has reached 86%. In Lanzhou and other areas, courier firms have cut tape consumption per parcel by about 25%, and reduced consumables for some specialty shipments by more than 30%, by adopting narrow-width eco-friendly tape, smart carton selection systems and the 'direct dispatch in original cartons' model. Yet visits to Hefei and Kunming found that while 'nesting-doll-style' packaging is now rare, tape wider than 45 mm and multi-layer wrapping are still common. Some merchants continue to overuse tape and cushioning materials to avoid liability for transport damage, leaving uneven enforcement of the new rules.

II. Traditional goods: tea and zongzi gift boxes still look 'bloated'

Governing excessive packaging in traditional offline goods is harder than at the express delivery end. A reporter's investigation found that tea gift boxes in Hangzhou and Kunming, and zongzi gift boxes in the Shanghai and Anhui markets, still exceed packaging void ratio limits. A Longjing tea gift box with 200 g net content has a void ratio of 58.3%, far above the 30% national standard limit. Industry insiders say profit motives and consumers' 'face needs' are the main causes; together with broad regulatory coverage and difficult oversight, such problems have become chronic.

III. Policy and trends: multi-party efforts to build a long-term mechanism

To curb excessive packaging at the source, regions are accelerating legislation and standards implementation. Anhui Province has issued a governance implementation plan, aiming to establish by the end of 2027 a long-term mechanism for the full implementation of green packaging standards; people's congress deputies have also proposed dedicated regulations covering primary responsibility, the recycling system and other dimensions. Experts argue that tackling excessive packaging requires joint action across society: government should strengthen supervision and the cost of violations, companies should optimize design and use green materials, logistics should improve sorting, and consumers should embrace green thinking and actively reject excessive packaging.

With the 15th Five-Year Plan outline advocating a green and low-carbon lifestyle, the packaging industry's 'slimming' effort has expanded from a single link to the entire industrial chain. In the future, technological innovation and institutional improvements are expected to drive a win-win for economic and ecological benefits.

Source: China Packaging Network (pack.cn), original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-379846.html