On September 29, the official opening of BOXO was celebrated in Rotterdam, a circular start-up that makes online shopping more sustainable. Meindert Stolk (Deputy Economy and Innovation of the Province of South Holland), councilor Chantal Zeegers (municipality of Rotterdam), and founder Marcel Kleizen together kicked off this twentieth Dutch location of BOXO.

Smart Alternative to Disposable

BOXO offers a universal system for reusable shipping packaging. Consumers can choose a sustainable packaging option at participating webshops. After receipt, it can be easily returned at one of the drop-off points in the city or used for returns. With a deposit system, the packaging is reused over and over again.

BOXO Drop-off Points

BOXO is working hard to open more drop-off points in the Netherlands, as everyone should be able to return packaging within a five-minute bike ride. Rotterdam is the twentieth municipality where this has been achieved. Marcel Kleizen of BOXO: We are pleased that from today, Rotterdammers can choose reusable shipping packaging for online orders and return it at one of the drop-off points nearby, where they will receive their deposit back. Together, we reduce packaging waste in the city and shape the circular economy.

Together Countering Waste

Deputy Meindert Stolk: “With initiatives like BOXO, we show how innovation and sustainability go hand in hand. Reusable shipping packaging is a concrete example of how we together counter waste and bring the circular economy closer. The fact that BOXO is now starting in Rotterdam is a nice step forward for a more sustainable and cleaner South Holland. I hope many more cities will follow!”

Rotterdam Has Great Circular Ambitions

Councilor Chantal Zeegers also emphasizes the importance of this initiative: “Rotterdam aims to be a circular city by 2050. This means we need to use fewer and better goods and materials longer and repeatedly. The arrival of an entrepreneur like BOXO contributes to this ambition, and I am happy with their arrival.”

Part of a Broader Movement in South Holland

The Province of South Holland supports BOXO as one of four breakthrough projects around reusable packaging. These projects provide scalable, sustainable solutions for various markets. The other three projects are:

  1. The universal circular wine bottle – on the way to a national system where hospitality, retail, and producers use the same reusable wine bottle.
  2. Join the Loop – focuses on high-quality reuse of B2B packaging in sectors such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and food, with a universal return system.
  3. Circular and scalable return system for consumer packaging – development of an efficient chain for reusable packaging, focusing on return and washing processes and strengthening the business case.

Acceleration Towards a Circular Economy

With these breakthrough projects, the province invests in innovative systems that contribute to less waste and smarter reuse. Together with municipalities, entrepreneurs, and residents, South Holland is working towards a circular future where waste is countered and valuable raw materials are preserved.