QUEZON CITY, Philippines—Youth and environmental groups today expressed dismay over e-commerce giants Lazada’s and Shopee’s continuous refusal to start reducing their plastic footprint despite public calls from Filipino consumers and small businesses.
Last September 10, Greenpeace Philippines sent a letter to Lazada and Shopee amplifying the demands of 14,625 Filipinos who called on the companies to reveal, reduce, and redesign their plastic-heavy business through a Bataris petition [1] headed by Youth Strike for Climate Philippines. As of writing, neither company has responded to the issues raised. Lazada’s partner PR agency merely acknowledged the letter, while Shopee completely ignored the calls.
Greenpeace Philippines Campaigner Jefferson Chua said Shopee’s and Lazada’s silence despite strong public pressure will worsen the impacts of plastic pollution on communities’ health and environment.
In the Philippines, usage of e-commerce doubled during the pandemic, boosting a 55% growth in their market value in 2020 [2]. Analysts further predict that the number of Filipinos using e-commerce will reach 55.8 million users by 2025. [3]
“With every sale they hold, Lazada and Shopee rack up record profits while leaving Filipinos to shoulder clean up for the tons of plastic packaging they caused,” said Chua. “All we are asking for is a commitment for these companies to start reducing the plastic they use by working with sellers to review their plastic usage and implementing a business policy to halt the use of inessential plastic packaging. How hard could that be? This silence seems to show that Lazada and Shopee are shamelessly bent on profiting from the pandemic without showing any ounce of responsibility. If they were genuinely concerned about sustainability, they would respond to these calls.”
Chua added that Lazada and Shopee should invest in sustainable solutions exhibited by small and medium enterprises that cater to the needs of consumers during the pandemic without causing permanent damages to the environment [4]. Sustainable MSMEs such as JuanBag, a youth-led enterprise, provide returnable and reusable packaging.
Carmela Adelantar, convenor of Youth Strike for Climate Philippines, said continuous promotion of unnecessary use of plastics will not just impact the climate and environment, but also the youth’s future. “Plastics do not only harm marine life, but most importantly, the carbon emissions they create which are worsening climate change. Excessive plastic packaging in e-commerce contributes to that. If we don’t act, what happens to our future?” Adelantar said.
EcoWaste Coalition Campaigner Coleen Salamat said: “Our environment is suffering in exchange for our convenience. While we recognize the role e-commerce industries play during the pandemic, their lack of accountability and initiatives to be more sustainable is only worsening the plastic crisis. The petition shows that there is a strong clamor from consumers for Lazada and Shopee to lead the shift towards an e-commerce industry sensitive to the current situation of our planet.”
Environmental organizations, along with other youth-led organizations and sustainable enterprises, will continue to call for a dialogue with Shopee and Lazada to explore immediate actions to protect Filipinos from the rise of plastic pollution. A follow-up letter will be sent while gathering more support from the public through the petition.
[3] Analysis: Projected e-commerce demand by 2025
[4] Filipinos opt to pay more for sustainable products | A recent survey by Bain and Co. showed that eight out of 10 Filipino consumers prefer products that are considered sustainable or are created by companies and brands with environmental, social and governance policies.
[5] Various organizations and small businesses have expressed support to the petition. In a statement last September 15, Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda said she supports the petition and its call for sustainable options for consumers.
Media contact:
Angeli Cantillana
Communications Campaigner, Greenpeace Southeast Asia – Philippines
[email protected] | +63 998 595 9733