AMAZON have been condemned for delivering a tiny battery in packaging the size of a shoe box.
The button-type battery sent to Matt Harris uses up approximately a quarter of one percent of the volume of the box and would have fitted around 400 times over.
The 38-year-old from Hook, Hampshire, recorded a video of himself unboxing the ludicrious package and posted it online with the caption: “Someone’s taking the packaging of items to the extreme.”
The foreman, who works for a bedding and packaging company, thought the wrong package had been delivered as he was expecting the battery to arrive in an envelope.
Online giant Amazon had vowed to stop using huge cardboard boxes to send small items last year, and were said to be using new technology and a new algorithm to combat the problem.
However, Matt’s package seems to have slipped through the net.
The foreman took to the company’s Facebook page to vent his frustration, by recording a 25 second video to make a point.
The footage begins with Matt opening the top of the box with one hand, as he films with the other.
The box is clearly labelled with Amazon Prime logo’s and the company’s recognisable packaging.
As Matt opens the box, a wealth of brown paper packaging can be seen inside the box.
As he pulls out the paper, he reveals a tiny 3v button battery tucked into the corner.
Matt added the clip with the caption: “Seriously Amazon. I think someone’s taking the packaging of items to the extreme.”
He then added a picture in the comments,which show the box to by 9 inches (22cm) long. He wrote: “An envelope would have been sufficient.”
Using Mr Harris’ measurements of the box, with the length approximately 22cm, width of 15cm and depth of 7.5cm – the volume is estimated to be around 2,500cm3.
In comparison, using similar calculations with average sizes for the batteries packing, this would give it a volume of around 6cm3.
This means that approximately only 0.25% of the box is filled by the tiny battery.
It also means that you could likely fit over 400 of the same batteries in the one box.
Speaking today (WED), Matt said: “I thought they had delivered to the wrong house as I was expecting an envelope through the door.
“It’s not the first time they’ve been overzealous with the packaging, but this was a bit extreme.”
When Amazon were approached for comment, a spokesman for the online giant pointed to the companies packaging statement on their website.
It reads: “We are always driving improvements in the sustainability of packaging across Amazon’s supply chain, starting with our own packaging and our own operations.
“Customer feedback informs our worldwide packaging team and allows us and our vendors to make improvements.
“We pursue multi-year waste reduction initiatives – e-commerce ready packaging and Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging – to promote easy-to-open, 100% recyclable packaging and to ship products in their own packages without additional shipping boxes.”
In November this year, Amazon were blasted for delivering a wall calendar complete with 45 feet of paper packaging.
Annie Gelly, from Herne Hill, London, ordered the A2 sized Collins calendar and said she expected it to arrive in a jiffy bag or an envelope.
However, paradoxically the firm were also criticised in November for a lack of packaging on its deliveries and “ruining Christmas”.
The online giant was littered with complaints on social media after customers complained after surprise presents arrived without any wrapping or exterior box to conceal them.
