As You Sow Applauds Amazon’s 28% Drop in Plastic Packaging Shipments
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT: Ryon Harms, ryon@asyousow.org, (310) 730-9407
EL CERRITO, CA – July 17, 2025 — As You Sow applauds Amazon for a significant 28% drop in North American shipments containing single-use plastic packaging, as detailed in its newly released 2024 sustainability report. Amazon's reduction in single use plastic—from 65% of shipments in 2023 to 37% in 2024—follows five years of sustained shareholder engagement with the company by As You Sow on reducing plastic packaging use and demonstrates the power of persistent advocacy.
Beginning in 2020, As You Sow initiated shareholder engagements with Amazon seeking to reduce its plastic packaging footprint; it filed shareholder proposals that called for plastic reduction commitments and increased transparency on plastic use. The proposals achieved shareholder support as high as 49% (2022). In 2023, following As You Sow’s proposal, Amazon disclosed the volume of certain plastic packaging use for the first time, and announced initial reductions.
“As You Sow began engaging Amazon to set plastic use reduction goals in 2020, and we’re proud to see that engagement translated into real, measurable impact,” said Conrad MacKerron, Senior Vice President at As You Sow. “Eliminating 134 million plastic bags represents serious progress towards reducing plastic pollution. "While the company has declined to set a time-bound public reduction goal, it has responded by reducing plastic use significantly.”
Globally, the company said it achieved a 16.4% reduction in single-use plastic packaging, lowering its annual plastic use from 88,698 metric tons in 2023 to 74,137 metric tons in 2024. This includes elimination of plastic air pillows by replacing them with recyclable paper fillers. The company also reports that 56% of its North American fulfillment centers ship using no plastic packaging.
“Amazon’s actions show that shareholder advocacy works—and that meaningful change is possible when companies commit to redesigning their packaging systems,” said Kelly McBee, Circular Economy Manager.
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As You Sow is the nation’s leading shareholder representative, with a 30-year track record promoting environmental and social corporate responsibility. Its focus areas include climate change, ocean plastics, toxins in the food system, the Rights of Nature, racial justice, and workplace diversity. Click here to view As You Sow’s shareholder resolution tracker.