The UK alone sends over 22 million tons of rubbish to landfill sites worldwide. During COP26, the UK waste services industry unveiled plans to reach net-zero carbon emissions on waste processing by 2040. While there is still a lot more to do in terms of government legislation to enforce stricter landfill targets, it’s up to individuals to do all they can to reduce the amount of trash they create on a daily basis.

Switching out single-use plastics for sustainable household products – like coffee cups, reusable bags and metal straws – is one way we can all reduce the amount we throw away. We can also look to change our consumption habits. For example, we can take an inventory of the stuff in our homes and ask ourselves:

• Do we really need these products?
• Do we already have items we can repair and re-purpose? 
• Do the products we buy contain harmful toxins? Which ingredients provide a safer alternative?
• Can we buy something second-hand to save the energy required to create a new item from scratch?
• Do our gifts to friends and family need to be physical items? 
• Is there a way to get rid of the things we don’t need without throwing them away, such as donating items to charity?

However, for e-commerce brand owners looking to increase profits, encouraging customers to adopt zero-waste ethics can seem a little counterproductive. For instance, suppose you run an e-commerce homeware brand that sells kitchen items. In that case, you could easily take single-use plastics off your store listings. But what can you replace these items with to increase profits and still maintain your eco-credentials?

The answer is to select eco-friendly household products and cleverly market your goods to inspire people to make wiser buying decisions. Here, we will look at some examples of brands that are adopting a sustainable ethos to increase profits.