Circular economy

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Swiss Post promotes circular logistics throughout Switzerland and offers circular and innovative solutions for business customers.

With its logistics services for the circular economy, Swiss Post supports companies in the targeted return, reuse or further processing of products and materials along the entire supply chain. The wide range of solutions is aimed at companies with circular business models, such as in the areas of sharing, leasing, re-commerce/second-hand, reprocessing and recycling. This not only ensures optimal use of products, but also the recovery of raw materials – a core principle of circular logistics.

Swiss Post’s solutions are tailored to a wide range of customer requirements. In doing so, it promotes the efficient use of products, supports the recovery of valuable resources and strengthens a modern circular economy in logistics. This allows companies to operate in a resource efficient and economically profitable manner.

The graphic shows the circular economy process in the form of a circle. In the middle is “circular economy”. The following stations follow in a clockwise direction: “Utility” (hand with object), “Collection” (yellow delivery van), “Sorting” (yellow container), “Maintenance” (tools), “Storage” (forklift lorry), “Packaging” (yellow box) and “Delivery” (yellow delivery van).

Your benefits at a glance
What sets us apart

Efficient and resource conscious for your business

Our solutions help you to design processes efficiently and to use products for longer or multiple times. This allows you to allocate resources more effectively and at the same time achieve economic benefits.
Individually tailored to your needs

We develop your solution together – transparently and in partnership. Our circular logistics experts understand your needs and address your individual situation.
Convenient delivery and return

Make the obligation an optional extra - with simple and convenient delivery and collection options, you can make your customers’ everyday lives easier and increase their satisfaction.

Circular economy

Swiss Post offers comprehensive circular solutions developed in close cooperation with you. We take care of the entire logistics process – from delivery to return. Benefit from a reliable and efficient cycle that conserves resources and saves costs.

Two-way logistics

Our two-way logistics is a convenient comprehensive solution for sending and returning shipments. We collect the consignments directly from your customers on request. This solution is ideal for a range of circular applications, such as exchange, repair and reprocessing.

Return solution

Swiss Post collects consignments with the yellow ECO tab directly from your customers without a previous collection order. This particularly convenient and cost-effective solution increases your end customers’ satisfaction and motivates them to return consignments.

“Recycling at Home” celebrates its tenth anniversary

Recommerce/second-hand logistics

There are many types of recommerce platforms, and Swiss Post’s logistics range is just as varied. For example, the following options are available for the platforms as required:

Shipping label: customers receive either a digital label by e-mail to print out themselves or a physical label by post that they can affix to the consignment.
Collection from private letter box: either via pick@home on a specific date, which the customer can specify via a collection order. Or at sight with the yellow tab that the mail carrier sees on the next delivery round and then picks up the consignment.
Return shipment by customer: customers post the letter themselves in a letter box or drop off the parcel at the nearest post office counter.
Packaging: if required, the customer is sent a suitable empty container for the return shipment, such as a reusable Kickbag.

Marko.ch success story

Reusable packaging

Swiss Post’s reusable packaging is easy to return after use. Our packaging thus covers a wide range of applications. Reuse is more ecological and, in the overall view, often more economical - packaging that is returned to the cycle after use saves material and avoids waste.

Contact us about circular logistics

Would you like to find out more without any obligation or receive personal advice? Our team will be happy to show you how circular logistics works for your company.

Why is it worth talking to us?

Clarify your questions about circular logistics
Discover suitable circular options for your company
Develop individual solutions with us

Get non-binding advice now

Publications

Top-down view of a person using a smartphone to photograph a yellow dress and a straw hat on a table for an online listing or resale advertisement.

Swiss Re-commerce study: buying and selling by private individuals

Find out how the Swiss second-hand market is developing, what really drives buyers and sellers – and where there are still hurdles. Based on a representative survey of 1,000 people.

Download the study free of charge (in German)

Whitepaper

Re-commerce: sustainable retail in the digital age
Discover the potential of re-commerce and find out how you can benefit from it with the support of Swiss Post using specific customer cases.

Download the whitepaper (in German)

Podcast

Episode 1: Circular logistics as a growth driver

Find out why circular logistics is much more than just a trend and how companies can achieve sustainable growth with solutions from Swiss Post.

Listen now

Episode 2: Tackling circular logistics together

Discover how collaboration and co-creation with customers make successful circular logistics solutions possible.

Listen now

Success stories

The sparkling water company SodaStream focuses both on sustainability for its products, as well as on logistics. The company is pursuing a range of measures to reduce its ecological footprint and make a positive contribution to climate protection. SodaStream offsets 115 percent of the CO₂ emissions from its 60-litre cylinders, thereby actively supporting climate protection projects in Switzerland that promote environmental protection measures and sustainable development.

SodaStream cooperates with Swiss Post for its logistics. As part of this collaboration, the two companies want to implement more efficient delivery solutions, optimize transport processes and reduce emissions. SodaStream refills the returned CO₂ cylinders and puts them back into circulation. This reuse principle increases efficiency in logistics and reduces resource consumption. With SodaStream, households can save up to 1,000 plastic bottles per year, reducing the need to transport single-use bottles and helping to reduce plastic waste significantly. As a result, SodaStream shows how targeted measures in logistics make an important contribution to the circular economy and environmental protection.

How does the process work?

Order: customers order new cylinders online or in-store. Orders placed by 11.30 a.m. will be delivered the next day. Orders placed after this will take a day longer.
Preparation: the customer deposits the empty cylinders, unpackaged, in their private letter box (mailbox) by 7 a.m. on the delivery day.
Delivery and exchange: Swiss Post delivers the new cylinders and takes the empty cylinders away. It couldn’t be simpler.
Reuse: SodaStream checks the cylinders and then refills them with CO₂. This means they are ready to use for the next customer.

Routers and other electronic devices from telecommunications customers are technically complex and contain valuable raw materials. It therefore makes sense to extend their service life as far as possible. Sunrise and ALSO have set up a circular system for this purpose. Routers and other electronic devices are reused as often as possible and repaired or refurbished as required. They have developed this simple and reliable reverse logistics process for this service in cooperation with Swiss Post. Sunrise customers can return devices they no longer require by receiving a return label and having the device collected conveniently from their home.

How does the return and reuse process work?

Order: a customer informs Sunrise that their device is defective or no longer required, e.g. when changing their subscription.
Preparation: Sunrise sends the customer a return label and a collection tab. The customer packs the old device, affixes the return label to the parcel and leaves it in their private letter box for collection. They then attach the collection tab to the letter box.
Collection: the mail carrier sees the tab on their next delivery round and takes the consignment with them.
Repair: Sunrise or ALSO checks the devices and repairs them if necessary.
Handover: the devices are handed on to the next customer.

This process is a classic example of refurbishing – a core element of the circular economy. With this process, Sunrise and ALSO actively contribute to reducing electronic waste and are saving valuable resources.

The online platform Marko.ch brings used clothing, electronics and furniture back into circulation. Buying or selling second-hand items on this platform means fewer new products have to be created and transported, reducing the impact on the environment and strengthening the circular economy.

Marko works with Swiss Post to make shipping as easy as possible. Sellers receive a pre-printed label and a collection tab that they use to prepare the parcel for shipping. Swiss Post then collects the parcel directly from the mailbox. This saves journeys, reduces the number of empty runs and makes better use of existing transport structures.

Marko also uses artificial intelligence to improve shipping processes. Algorithms are used to plan routes more efficiently, shorten delivery journeys and reduce energy consumption. By doing so, the platform is supporting more sustainable logistics in everyday life.

How does the sales process work on the Marko platform?

Offer: the seller decides to sell an item of clothing or an object and places this on the platform.
Sale: the buyer finds the item and buys it directly on the platform.
Preparation: the seller receives a collection tab and a label from Marko.ch.
Shipping: the seller packs the product, affixes the label to the parcel and places it in the mailbox, to which they attach the tab. The mail carrier sees the shipping tab and takes the parcel with them.
Delivery: Swiss Post delivers the parcel directly to the buyer by electric vehicle, thereby helping protect the environment.

How a returns process becomes a win-win-win situation

SodaBär turns drinking water into refreshing sparkling water. And it’s environmentally friendly: all processes for the carbon dioxide canisters are designed to be sustainable. Rainer Kirchhofer, Managing Director of SodaBär Switzerland, explains what the new partnership with Swiss Post is contributing to this.

Read the success story

“Recycling at Home” celebrates its tenth anniversary

Nespresso Switzerland is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its “Recycling at Home” free service. The service was developed in collaboration with Swiss Post and supports the sustainability goals of both companies: it makes recycling coffee capsules easier and promotes the circular economy. We look back on this success story with Jean-Luc Valleix, Managing Director of Nespresso Switzerland.

Read the success story

Reduce electronic waste with smart logistics

Return items at home in the mailbox instead of taking them to a Swiss Post branch. For Swisscom and Sunrise UPC customers, this makes an innovative Swiss Post logistics solution possible. This will save the two companies costs and help to protect the environment.

Read the success story

Circular logistics
Working with Swiss Post for circular logistics

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Rich Content Section

Your benefits at a glance
What sets us apart

Efficient and resource conscious for your business

Individually tailored to your needs

Convenient delivery and return