Go Green starts with us
Eco-friendliness is a priority in every part of our organization. It starts at our Package Park, a 88,000m2 warehouse that was entirely energy positive in 2024 thanks to its solar roof. Here, we have tested and implemented solutions to reduce plastic use in our pallet storage and internal transportation. We have further reduced the use of sealing wrap for our pallets, which lowered our plastic use by 4.5 tonnes compared to 2023. Additionally, we have invested heavily in machines that pack products exactly to size. The latest machine added at the end of 2023 packed more than 900,000 shipments in custom boxes instead of a standard box, saving cardboard. Since the initial implementation in 2021, we have reduced our cardboard consumption by 900,000 kg per year in total. And for products that already come in sturdy packaging, we use no additional cardboard packaging at all. Because of the tailored packaging or absence of additional packaging, our products take up less space. This allows us to fit products more efficiently into our delivery bikes and vans, so fewer transport vehicles are necessary. To our stores alone, we shipped 190,000 shipments without additional packaging in 2024.
We actively work on reducing CO₂ emissions in our deliveries. In 2024, we delivered orders by bike in and around cities across the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. We deliver up to 90% of eligible packages by bike, thereby preventing 267,000 kilograms of CO₂ emissions in 2024 alone. We also continuously research and implement ways to lower emissions of motorized vehicles and have a primary focus on electrifying our fleet. We are setting up the extensive infrastructure needed for an electric fleet. At the end of 2024, legislative changes were announced that provided the clarity needed to move further with our electrification plans. We are happy with these changes, because we can now use our electric vehicles with current driver's licenses.
Coolblue Energy
To truly make a big impact, we need to look beyond just our own footprint. Which is why we help customers save energy through Coolblue Energy. We provide customers with green electricity and gas, and always give them a discount on energy-efficient products like washing machines, smart plugs, and smart lights.
On top of green electricity and gas, we also deliver comprehensive solutions for solar panels, charging stations, and heat pumps at our customers’ homes. For example, if we install both solar panels and a charging station for a customer, they can charge their electric car for free using the energy they generated themselves.
Free Washing
We launched Free Washing in 2024. It allows customers to do their laundry for free every day between 12:00 and 15:00. Because that is when an abundance of renewable energy usually is available. All customers need to benefit from this is a dynamic energy contract and a compatible washing machine. Free Washing is the first integration of products and dynamic energy contracts and we plan to announce more as 2025 progresses.
Heat pumps
In October 2024, we started selling and installing heat pumps. With a heat pump, we help our customers save significantly on their gas consumption. Our heat pumps are especially designed for Dutch households and are available as full-electric and hybrid devices. Our advisors help customers find the best heat pump for them, after which our own installation experts safely install the heat pump.
Completing the product journey
Every product has a life cycle. And at the end of its life cycle, it needs to be taken care of. We see this as an essential part of the customer journey. So when we deliver a new household appliance, we take the old one back with us if the customer wants us to. In 2024, we collected 20,000 tonnes of appliances this way.
We make an effort to ensure that these appliances are put to the best use possible. We refurbished 22,000 appliances in-house, giving them a second life. The remainder was either refurbished externally or optimally recycled.
Our efforts do not stop at white goods. In 2024, we refurbished over 2,000 smartphones in-house. That is a 525% growth compared to when we started doing this in 2023. We offer a 2-year warranty on these devices, ensuring the longest lifespan we can give.
Our extensive infrastructure makes us uniquely suitable to do even more in the circular economy of electronics. Looking ahead, we plan to start retrieving discarded electronics from our customers and help manufacturers with optimal recycling. Our pilots so far show great potential, and we plan on taking big steps to increase our impact in the coming years.
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive
In 2023, the CSRD came into effect. This means that Coolblue will be required to report CSRD-specified sustainability data as of 2025. To meet these requirements, we have conducted a double materiality assessment and are making the necessary preparations to ensure our full compliance. We are on track to meet the requirements set out in the directive.
