As part of our 2030 ESG action plan, we are committed to advancing sustainability across our global operations and value chain. From reducing Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions to minimising waste, making our distribution service more sustainable means we can help our customers on their own journey without compromising on cost or efficiency. A key part of this journey is transforming our packaging: reducing overall usage, increasing recycled content, and prioritising recyclable materials to meet the growing expectations of customers and suppliers who want strategic partners who meet their sustainability requirements and support their ambitions.
So far in 2025/26, we have made significant progress with three key projects to improve the sustainability of our packaging: bio-based polymer carriers for electronics distribution in Corby, paper sealing tape in Bad Hersfeld & Beauvais, and plastic infill removal across the UK. These are the latest successes in our wider Plastic Out drive to remove or replace plastic with alternative materials.
Everyone involved was bought in to the opportunity of removing plastic from our packages, further enhancing the customer experience and moving forward positively on our sustainability journey.
Bio-based polymer carriers for electronics (Corby)
In partnership with Chestnut Biopolymers Ltd, we’ve seen a breakthrough in sustainable packaging: a bio-based polymer now used in full-scale production. Since June 2025, over 100,000 biopolymer units have been deployed at our Corby site, replacing 80% of the conventional polypropylene – the first time a bio-based carrier has been implemented at scale in RS. This material, created by fermenting sugars and blending under patented technology, delivers the strength needed for small electronic items while eliminating microplastic waste and reducing single-use plastic, reinforcing RS’s commitment to sustainability.
Paper sealing tape (Bad Hersfeld and Beauvais)
In April 2025, our Bad Hersfeld and Beauvais DCs introduced a high-performance sealing tape for transit cartons in partnership with tesa, a global leader in sustainable adhesive solutions. This marks a major step toward meeting our 2030 goals to eliminate plastic and deliver a consistent, high-quality unboxing experience for the customer. The FSC-certified tape ensures strong adhesion, operational efficiency, and recyclability so customers can recycle boxes without removing tape. Tesa’s expertise and sustainability leadership were pivotal in delivering a solution that combines performance with environmental responsibility, supporting RS’s broader ESG commitments. This collaboration demonstrates how aligned purpose and innovation can drive meaningful progress in packaging sustainability, as Liam Dowds, Head of Packaging, RS Group, explains, “This partnership with tesa has been pivotal – not just in delivering a packaging solution, but in helping us take a real step forward in our sustainability journey. It’s a testament to what can be achieved when two companies align on purpose and performance. After successful adoption at our Bad Hersfeld facility, we’re delighted to be rolling out this paper tape across other DCs in EMEA so that more customers can benefit.”
Plastic infill removal (UK)
Following a successful trial at Corby and Nuneaton in August 2025, a paper-based air pillow infill has been rolled out across all applicable packing areas within the UK. This innovation by the Group packaging team replaces traditional plastic infills, removing approximately 15 tonnes of plastic – a win for our customers and the planet. To deliver a consistent, high-quality solution that meets our customers' requirements for packaging integrity and safe and secure delivery, we ensured that the proposed material provides strong protection for all product types, allows for easy recycling and maintains operational efficiency. With 50% recycled content and FSC certification, the paper infill supports our 2030 ESG action plan ambition to make our packaging more sustainable while prioritising an efficient and reliable distribution service, as Tom South, Group Packaging Specialist, summarises, “The trial was a great demonstration of collaborative teamwork between various departments across both sites. Everyone involved was bought in to the opportunity of removing plastic from our packages, further enhancing the customer experience and moving forward positively on our sustainability journey.”
The future of sustainable packaging
Thanks to cross-functional collaboration and a shared dedication to ESG, these projects demonstrate the value of sustainable innovation in industrial and electronics distribution. And there are still further opportunities for progress, including collaborating with our electronics supply chain and the wider industry to accelerate the shift to alternative packaging materials.
By championing alternative materials and leveraging the expertise of our partners, we’ve reduced waste, improved recyclability, and taken a meaningful step toward circularity – illustrating the powerful impact when collaboration and operational excellence meets environmental responsibility.
In summary, Liam Dowds concludes, “Our Plastic Out programme shows what’s possible when sustainability, operational excellence and customer experience are treated as one – not trade-offs – but shared priorities.”
Paper-based air pillow infills have been rolled out across the UK.
The FSC-certified tape ensures strong adhesion, operational efficiency, and recyclability.
