User Experience Study of Eco-Friendly Packaging at a Major Korean Retailer

Abstract

This study investigates the user experience of eco-friendly insulated bags as a packaging solution for fresh food delivery. As the fresh food delivery service grew rapidly, over-packaging became a social issue, and distributors launched eco-friendly insulated bags as a packaging solution. However, there is a lack of research on whether the insulated bags reduce waste disposal. Therefore, this study surveyed the user experience of the insulated bags of representative distributors among online food buyers in their 30s to 50s. First, they ordered fresh food and filled out a questionnaire, and then conducted in-depth interviews based on the survey results to identify the specific reasons and needs. The survey results indicated that compared to box packaging, the hassle and time of waste separation were reduced, but the amount of waste generation did not decrease. Moreover, vinyl packaging and excessive ice packs and dry ice necessitated an additional disposal process. In addition, the insulated bags that consumers storedKurly and SSG.com had problems with storage due to their size and contamination due to their color. On the other hand, Coupang’s reusable insulated bags required cleaning after receiving the products due to hygiene concerns, and caused aesthetic issues in front of the house as they were not collected promptly. This study hopes to contribute to the improvement of user experience of insulated bags in the future.