A few days ago, some citizens found that there was an additional "1 yuan packaging fee" on the settlement page when buying Hema products online, which caused heated discussions on the Internet......
The reporter inquired again today and found that RT-Mart and Duodian have reduced the packaging fee to zero yuan, and Jingdong Daojia has become optional. However, after selecting the product, there may be a situation where the order cannot be placed without clicking on the 1 yuan packaging fee. In addition, platforms that charge a packaging fee of 1 yuan will mostly use environmentally friendly degradable bags, while those that do not charge ordinary plastic bags.
Some platforms used to charge 1 yuan for packaging, but it is currently reduced to 0 yuan
Many netizens mentioned that Sam began to charge 1 yuan for packaging as early as 2021, and in February this year, Sam added an additional 1 yuan for insulated bags or ice packs for goods that need to be stored in the cold chain, making the packaging cost of each order 1-2 yuan.
In addition to Sam, at that time, netizens found that retail distribution platforms such as JD Daojia, Duodian, and RT-Mart also charged packaging fees, with JD Daojia instant delivery packaging fees of 1.2 yuan and multi-point 1 yuan. On the Yonghui Mini Program, a packaging fee of 1 yuan is optional.
Today, the reporter searched these platforms again and found that RT-Mart and multi-point platforms have reduced the packaging fee to 0 yuan.
In terms of specific performance, RT-Mart grayed out the words of the packaging fee of 1 yuan and added a strikethrough, changing it to 0 yuan, but there is still a description of the packaging fee: In order to properly deliver the packaged goods to your audience, we will charge the cost of product packaging consumables and packaging services for a fee, thank you for your understanding and support.
It can be seen in the multi-point applet that after the packaging fee of 1 yuan is listed, the next line writes that the packaging fee is reduced by -1 yuan, which is equivalent to a reduction of 0 yuan.
However, there is still a reminder of packaging fees: in order to ensure the safety and hygiene of the corresponding country's "plastic restriction order" and maintain the safety and hygiene of product distribution, we need to provide you with degradable shopping bags and other packaging for a fee.
In Jingdong Daojia, the current 1 yuan packaging fee has become optional. However, after purchasing multiple items, if you want to place an order without selecting this item, you will pop up the "Packaging Service Description", which mentions: This order requires packaging services to be delivered, please understand.
Meituan's Little Elephant Supermarket and Dingdong still do not charge for groceries. Like the revised RT-Mart and Duodian, the packaging fee for Dingdong grocery shopping is "reduced from 1 yuan to 0 yuan", and there are relevant plastic restriction orders.
In terms of Freshippo, since the collection of packaging fees has attracted the attention of netizens, it has also optimized the collection mechanism of packaging fees. When customers shop online, they find that some products that do not need bags have been removed from the packaging fee, such as 5 kg of rice, oil, flour, 2.5 kg of cherry gift boxes, and 12 rolls of rolling paper with handles.
After collecting the packaging fee, some platforms send environmentally friendly degradable bags
When the platform explained the "packaging fee", it mentioned the plastic restriction order. So will the charging of packaging fees affect the material of the bag?
The transformation of Hema is more obvious. In the past, when there was no packaging fee, the riders sent ordinary white bags with the Hema logo, but now, they have changed to translucent biodegradable packaging bags without LOGO.
Some netizens commented: "The quality of the bag has indeed improved, from the crispy feel of ordinary plastic bags to the glutinous feel of powder now." ”
Hema previously said that it will gradually launch biodegradable takeaway packaging bags in Hema fresh across the country from January 1, 2024. In addition, paper-based and biodegradable tableware is gradually being implemented in stores across the country, thereby reducing the use of single-use plastic tableware.
The same is true for JD Daojia, which charges a 1 yuan packaging fee.
The reporter placed an order on Jingdong Daojia today, and the bag sent was also an environmentally friendly degradable bag, which was printed with a unified Jingdong Daojia LOGO, and the feel was significantly different from that of ordinary plastic bags.
In RT-Mart and Dingdong, which prompted the "1 yuan packaging fee to be reduced to 0 yuan", the ordinary plastic bags are still used.
The reporter also came to RT-Mart's physical store today and found that the physical store does not provide free plastic bags, but sells red non-woven handbags. The specifications of non-woven bags are divided into two types, namely 1.6 yuan/piece for small bags and 2 yuan/piece for large bags. If a bag is required, it will be displayed in the product list just like any other product.
It is worth mentioning that although Sam charges a packaging fee, he still uses ordinary white plastic bags. While some netizens complained, some people even said that it was "cost-effective". It turned out that, according to this customer's reaction, because it is a membership store model, after placing a large number of orders at one time, five or six bags of goods will be delivered to the door, which is equivalent to getting five or six large horse clip bags at a time for 1 yuan, so that there is no need to worry about losing garbage and no bags.
From the above situation, it can be seen that if the packaging fee is not charged, the platform will basically not use environmentally friendly degradable bags when delivering them; As we all know, the cost of environmentally friendly degradable bags is higher than that of ordinary plastic bags, and the cost of bags still affects whether the platform chooses to charge packaging fees.
Some bubble tea shops charge packaging fees by cup, which is questioned by consumers as unreasonable
While the delivery and packaging fees of online retail platforms have attracted attention, there are also customers who are eyeing the packaging fees of tea shops. Recently, some media reported that some citizens ordered 6 cups of milk tea to be taken out to their homes on the official mini program of Bawang Chaji, but when they saw that the order actually charged a packaging fee of 6 yuan, and it was charged cumulatively according to the number of cups, but in fact, 6 cups of milk tea only contained 2 bags.
At that time, the description of the packaging fee on the mini program also showed: "According to the relevant national policy requirements, plastic shopping bags shall not be provided for free." In order to ensure the safe and hygienic delivery of your goods, we will charge corresponding packaging fees for the packaging materials of goods in dine-in take-out and take-out business scenarios. ”
However, it is also the official mini program of Bawang Chaji, if you choose to pick up in the store and choose to deliver, there is no packaging fee. No matter how many drinks you order, the total cost is only the sum of the unit price of each drink. Of course, there is no hint about the packaging fee.
In terms of other tea shops, at present, Heytea also charges a packaging fee of 1 yuan per cup.
When picking up in the store, if you don't need a thermal insulation bag, you will not be charged a packaging fee, but if you need a thermal insulation bag, regardless of the actual number of thermal bags, it will be charged at one yuan for one cup. In the charging description of the insulated bag, the charging standard is written: 1 yuan per product.
Nai Xue's tea, order through the applet, the system does not charge a packaging fee by default when you choose takeaway, but there is an option that recommends the use of insulated bags, if you check it, you will be charged an additional packaging fee according to the standard of 1 cup/yuan. That is to say, there is no charge for ordinary packaging bags, and there is a charge for insulated bags.
When placing an order on the official mini program of a little bit and seven points of sweetness, there is no packaging fee for choosing takeaway or self-pickup, and the packaging package it provides is also an ordinary bag.
"Whether it is supermarket delivery or milk tea, if it causes controversy, it will not be charged, which will inevitably give people a strong sense of arbitrariness in charging packaging fees. Mr. Chen, a citizen who often shops online, said, "And even if some merchants do not charge packaging fees, they will also show the form of reduction from 1 yuan, which gives consumers the feeling that they will still collect it in the future." ”
Is the plastic restriction order a requirement to be followed, or is it just a reason for charging?
Mr. Chan said that many consumers are not happy to be charged packaging fees, mainly because they are mandatory and opaque. If the merchant can disclose the cost of the bag, bill it on a per-one basis, and make it clear that it does not earn the consumer's money on the bag, then there will be more consumers who may accept the packaging fee.