Colis Colis: A sustainable shopping adventure

Colis Colis was founded by lifelong friends Alexis and Marc, who quickly dominated the market for undelivered packages in France by 2023. Their business model involves purchasing parcels from across Europe and reselling them in mysterious bundles, appealing to customers seeking a more sustainable shopping experience.

Encouraged by their success in France, the pair decided to expand to the rest of Europe. “Alexis and Marc came to Portugal for the first time to launch a pop-up, and the people here were so welcoming that they decided to open a store”, Jorge Joaquim, store manager of Colis Colis Portugal, told The Portugal News.

“We do very little to the packages, once they’re sent to our warehouse in France, we just hide the address, post, and sender”, he further explained. “When our customers come to the store, we let them do their thing – feel the parcels, smell them, whatever they want to do and enjoy themselves. It’s a really fun concept because you never know what’s in them.”

International phenomenon

Colis Colis Portugal opened on December 6, 2024, becoming an international phenomenon in just a week. “We didn’t do much for the social media, the concept speaks for itself”, Jorge described their rise to prominence. “On Instagram and TikTok, we did some promotions and offerings, but it was actually the people that just blew it up.”

“We got over 10,000 followers on Instagram in the first seven days of the business here”, he shared. “It was a great start, and we sold over 12 tonnes of parcels”. Their store also serves as a distribution hub for their online shopping, making the process even more convenient.

Not only are the customers happy and engaged with the company, but the environment is relieved too. Lost and returned online shopping items are a huge source of pollution as corporations find it cheaper to dump everything than pay to ship it back to their own warehouse to be resold, and so this initiative for recycling these packages is a big step for sustainability.

Ecological concept

“The motivation for the business is the ecological aspect. All the items that we sell here would’ve otherwise become waste, which just adds to the global pollution crisis, and now they’re something that people can actually use – they’re new things that have been repurposed”, Jorge elaborated. “These parcels have never been opened, you don’t receive something used, they’re brand new and get a second chance at life.”

“This is something that aligns with our values, we are doing our part in contributing to more sustainable practices”, he added. “We sell in-store by the kilo, while the online packages are sold by 5kg, 10kg, or 15kg, and we’re looking for franchises.”

These bulk deals offer the opportunity to discover something interesting or valuable wrapped within each collection of cardboard boxes. “This is a very simple concept, it’s a fun and sustainable shopping adventure”, Jorge stated. “People are always surprised, and who doesn’t love surprises?”

“Our guests enjoy the experience, coming into the store, and the purchases, they always say it’s worth it. When the kids open the parcels and get excited, it’s the best feeling” he said. “The whole evolution has been a whole rollercoaster ride, but it’s been amazing.”

Colis Colis Portugal is open for visiting within the UBBO Shopping Centre, in Amadora, best known for hosting Kidzania Lisbon. “Come over, come meet us”, Jorge concluded. “This unique concept has received fantastic reviews so far, and we get a lot of customers that come back or order again.”

A journalist that’s always eager to learn about new things. With a passion for travel, adventure and writing about this diverse world of ours.

“Wisdom begins in wonder” -  Socrates

Kate Sreenarong