Riese & Müller commits to reusable packaging for eBikes and small components

Riese & Müller plans to switch to reusable packaging for eBikes and small components in the future. Selected dealers can expect to see the reusable eBike packaging in September.

Produced entirely in Germany, the new, reusable packaging designs have been in development in cooperation with German manufacturers circular logistics and rhinopaq.

Upping the ante for fellow cycle industry brands, Riese & Müller will initially have up to 60% of eBike packaging and up to 70% of packaging for shipping small components be switched over to reusable materials by early 2024. This will help Riese & Müller and its dealers to reduce their waste generation in retail by 905 tonnes of cardboard per year.

Reusable packaging for eBikes           

The BikeBox from circular logistics, which Riese & Müller helped to develop, is made entirely of polypropylene, a material that is highly durable, resilient, easy to recycle and can be reused up to 30 times. This saves around 80% of CO₂ compared to conventional packaging. The reusable BikeBoxes are the same size as the cardboard boxes used now. Once the eBikes are removed, the BikeBoxes are quick and easy to fold down so that they can be sent back via the usual transport routes. This reduces the accumulating volume of waste by 95%, which equates to around 880 tonnes of cardboard per year saved. The new packaging can be used on all European road freight routes, including in Switzerland. Riese & Müller said it is one of the first eBike manufacturers worldwide to establish this kind of reusable packaging system for its eBikes and to use the BikeBox in series.

Changes to shipping small components

Reusable packaging will also be used when shipping small components in the future. The packaging is foldable, and dealers can return it in bundles. The new packaging is made of 60% recycled materials and can be reused up to 20 times. This will save 25 tonnes of cardboard per year. The reusable boxes will be fastened using a hook-and-loop design to eliminate the need for additional adhesive tape.

Riese & Müller regular publishes Responsibility Reports as the company moves towards more sustainable practices.