Circular economy
Working together towards more sustainability

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Swiss Post promotes the circular economy throughout all of Switzerland and offers sustainable, innovative solutions for companies and private individuals.

Nowadays, circular thinking is essential. Companies need to act in an environmentally and economically responsible manner, while also embracing social responsibility. The circular economy extends product life cycles through sharing, leasing, reuse, repair, reprocessing and recycling.

Swiss Post offers circular logistics solutions for a wide range of customer requirements. In doing so, it supports the efficient use of products and ensures resources are reclaimed, allowing you to operate sustainably and profitably at the same time.

The benefits for you at a glance

Logistics network: available quickly and reliably throughout Switzerland
Delivery and collection: convenient delivery and return directly to your customers
Economic viability: long-term savings potential
Sustainability: environmentally and economically sound solutions
A one-stop shop: comprehensive solutions across all logistics steps
Partnership-based implementation: close cooperation for tailor-made solutions

Our services

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» feiert sein zehnjähriges Bestehen (in German)

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: one option is via pick@home on a specific date, which the customer can specify via a collection order. Another option is to affix the yellow tab to the consignment so that it is visible to the mail carrier, signalling them to take it away on the next delivery round.
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, e.g. a reusable Kickbag.

Business Case marko.ch

Business cases

The sparkling water company SodaStream focuses not only on sustainability for its products, but also 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.

More cases at logistikpunkt.ch

Swiss Post offers tailor-made solutions. We would be happy to advise you and cater to your individual wishes.

Write to us

Send your enquiry directly to our specialists online.

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Our address

Post CH Ltd Logistics Services
Industry Solutions
Circular economy
Westpark Nord
Pfingstweidstrasse 60b
8080 Zurich

Corporate responsibility

Swiss Post’s sustainability commitment.

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Circular economy Working together towards more sustainability