Estimated figures suggest that Amazon’s upcoming Prime Day event could lead to the shipment of 280.8 million boxes and use 70,200 tonnes of cardboard.
BusinessWaste.co.uk clarifies that the figures it has calculated are projections based on publicly available data from Statista and ‘should be treated as estimates’.
Amazon Prime Day is a global shipping event offering exclusive deals to Amazon Prime members. It will take place from midnight on 23 June to 23:59 on 26 June 2026.
Last year, it was reported that 300 million items were purchased during Amazon Prime Day. Based on a recorded 200 million-item sales growth between 2018 and 2025, BusinessWaste.co.uk has applied a 17% compound annual growth rate and suggested that 351 million items could be sold this year.
While last year’s Prime Day ran for four days instead of three, BusinessWaste.co.uk argues against a major correlation between event duration and total sales – pointing out that the two-day event in 2024 and the four-day event in 2025 both sold 300 million items.
According to Amazon, the e-retailer used 20% fewer boxes on average in 2024 due to the ‘Amazon Day’ delivery option, which allows consumers to select a day of the week to receive eligible items. BusinessWaste.co.uk applied this reduction and calculated that 280.8 million boxes could be shipped during Amazon Prime Day 2026.
BusinessWaste.co.uk points out that Amazon offers three different box sizes, so calculating the exact amount of cardboard waste is challenging. However, it suggests that a medium box weighs 250g when empty and provides a ‘middling estimate’ of 70,200 tonnes of cardboard used in this year’s sales.
“Amazon regularly shouts about its efforts to reduce packaging waste,” says Mark Hall, cardboard waste expert at BusinessWaste.co.uk, “and it is great to see the retail giant using mostly card and paper, a far more sustainable alternative to plastic.
“However, it’s hard to ignore the enormous scale of cardboard waste created by the e-commerce site, and as a result, we urge consumers to be mindful of this.
“Realistically, the event encourages overconsumption, so it’s important for people to consider if they really need these products before purchasing. However, if you do find yourself snagging some bargains, just make sure to sustainably dispose of any packaging.”
This development comes after reports that over 50% of Amazon’s European shipments now come in recyclable packaging such as paper or cardboard, or none at all. The company also claims to have avoided more than 4 million metric tons of packaging since 2015.
It has since worked with the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee to develop recyclable, home-compostable packaging made from crop residues. If lab-scale development and testing processes are successful, Amazon plans to support industrial trials, process validation, and commercial production by mid-to-late 2027.
In other news, Mondi’s annual e-commerce trend report claims that packaging is ‘increasingly’ impacting whether consumers make repeat purchases, and that evolving digital behaviour is placing new demands on physical packaging. It also notes that AI is changing the ways that consumers buy.
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