How Online Grocery Retail Shapes Packaging Design

Despite the rapid growth of e-commerce, online penetration in grocery retail remains significantly lower than in other sectors due to the complex processes of order fulfillment. This study explores how the unique characteristics of online grocery retail influence packaging design. Utilizing a multi-method approach that includes a literature review, a robotic picking experiment, and expert interviews, we identify key challenges and opportunities for packaging in the online grocery sector. The literature review underscores the dynamic yet underdeveloped state of online grocery retail, emphasizing innovations in packaging and the critical role of last-mile delivery. The robotic picking experiment provides insights into packaging resilience and compatibility with automation, highlighting specific packaging features that facilitate or hinder robotic handling. Expert interviews offer the retailer’s perspective, revealing practical challenges in order fulfillment, packaging, and the adoption of automation technologies. Our findings suggest that packaging design must address issues of resilience, sustainability, automation compatibility, and cost efficiency to meet the evolving demands of online grocery retail. This research contributes initial insights into optimizing packaging design, with implications for manufacturers, retailers, and logistics providers in the online grocery retail industry.