BOXO explained: how the Dutch deposit network truly enables circular shipping

Anyone can make a reusable box. The real problem is getting it back. A box that is neatly returned in 8 percent of cases is not a circular system; that's a disposable box with extra steps. For circular shipping, you need a network that really works. In the Netherlands, that's BOXO. This article explains how it works, for both consumers and webshops.

What is BOXO

BOXO is a Dutch deposit-return network specifically for reusable shipping packaging. It was set up by Boxo BV in collaboration with major logistics partners and now has 2,500+ return points throughout the Netherlands. Think supermarkets, drugstores, coffee bars, libraries, and participating local businesses.

The idea is simple: every reusable package has a deposit amount (variable per package, for Stonepacker it's 3.95 euros). The consumer doesn't pay this before or during purchase; it's simply their incentive to return the box. At each BOXO point, the consumer scans a QR code on the box, hands it in, and the deposit is refunded directly to their account.

How it works for the consumer

Step one: the customer orders something from a webshop that works with Stonepacker. They receive their package in a reusable box.

Step two: they unpack it and see a QR code on the inside of the box plus a short instruction. Three lines of text, no long manuals.

Step three: they fold the box flat (the envelope folds even smaller). Using the BOXO app or via the web, they scan the QR code and automatically see the nearest return point on the map.

Step four: they go to the BOXO point, often a shop they visit anyway. There, they drop off the box, scan the QR for confirmation, and the deposit is credited to their account within 24 hours.

For the average Dutch person, a BOXO point is, on average, a 6-minute walk away. In Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and The Hague, there is at least one every 800 meters. In rural areas, it's a bit further, but can be combined with other errands.

How it works for the webshop

Step one: your customer returns the Stonepacker to BOXO. You are automatically notified via your dashboard. No manual tracking is needed.

Step two: BOXO consolidates returned packaging by region and delivers it to our cleaning and inspection center.

Step three: we clean each Stonepacker with an eco-friendly water-recycling process, inspect it for wear or damage, and send it back to your warehouse clean.

Step four: you receive a new stock of reusable boxes that can be sent out again. You pay 1.30 euros per shipment, regardless of how many times it has been back and forth. We monitor the lifespan and proactively remove weakened items from circulation for recycling.

What if the customer doesn't return it?

This is the question every webshop management asks. The short answer: that happens in 22 percent of shipments, based on our internal data for 2025.

With a retention rate of 78 percent, a Stonepacker is reused an average of 22 times before the first non-return. After that, it either comes back via a later return or needs to be replaced. Good news: of those 22 percent non-returns, 14 percent still come back later, because the consumer leaves it on the doorstep or passes it on to a neighbor who does return it.

But even in the worst-case scenario where the box is permanently not returned, you as a webshop are financially covered. The deposit the consumer lost covers our replacement cost. Plus, we make the Stonepacker so robust that 25 reuse cycles are realistic.

Regional distribution

BOXO is strong in the Randstad and major cities. In Friesland, Drenthe, and Zeeland, the network is still gaining momentum but is growing fast. As of Q1 2026, coverage is as follows:

Region	BOXO points per 10,000 inhabitants
Amsterdam	24
Rotterdam	18
Utrecht	22
The Hague	16
Eindhoven	11
Groningen	9
Friesland	4
Drenthe	3
Zeeland	5

For a webshop with a national customer base, this means that 87 percent of your shipments go to regions with strong BOXO coverage. For the rest, it's a bit further to walk, but still manageable.

What it truly means for circularity

Reusable packaging is only truly circular if the system around it works. Too often, we see initiatives from brands that make beautiful reusable boxes but have no return system. Result: 12 percent return rate, boxes gathering dust in stockrooms, no reuse.

BOXO as a shared network solves the scalability problem. No individual webshop needs to build its own return system; you use an existing network that consumers are already accustomed to. That's why Stonepacker works where other reusable initiatives don't: not because our box is better, but because the network around it has scale.

How to introduce it as a webshop

We often get asked: how do I explain this to my customers? Here's what we advise.

One short sentence on your product page: "Shipped in a reusable Stonepacker. 3.95 euros deposit back with BOXO." That's enough.

One card in your order confirmation: one photo of the box, one line "Learn how to get 3.95 euros deposit back." Link to BOXO.

One sticker inside the box itself: QR code, 3 steps, done. Nobody reads more than 3 lines in a box.

No more than that. The simpler you present it, the more people will participate. Our best customers do it this way and see retention of 80+ percent.

Ready to get started

If you find this interesting, request a Stonepacker sample. We'll send it with a short BOXO instruction card so you can experience what it's like to return packaging. And if you like it, we'll arrange a pilot of 100 shipments together to see how your customers interact with it. No contracts, no inventory commitment, just try it out.