When we think of the green world we inevitably think of slowing down: reducing consumption, avoiding the superfluous, slowing down the economy. But is this really the case? Is it possible to stay fast while protecting the environment? A commitment that on the one hand requires a great deal of entrepreneurial effort and vision, but on the other pays off with unthinkable results.
The courier always rings, at least once a day: this has become the daily routine for millions of online shoppers worldwide. Already in 2019, 40% of the world’s population (almost three billion people) will have made a purchase on an e-commerce site.
Going green would now seem to be the goal of many companies that handle thousands of shipments every day, but despite the emphasis on ‘going green’, consumers continue to underestimate sustainability, especially when it comes to e-commerce. Although 42% of Italian online shoppers believe that the increase in online shopping is a problem for the environment, the motivation to go green is still lacking, with only 42% willing to pay extra for sustainable, zero-emission deliveries.
However, it is not taken into account that the large amount of parcels arriving at our homes every day is closely linked to pollution. You can realise this simply by going out and seeing the dozens of vehicles from different carriers driving through the streets of your city.
In order to reduce the environmental impact, air pollution and noise caused by the vehicles of large delivery companies, it is necessary to make clear choices. There are several options that retailers can adopt to offer sustainable deliveries.
First of all, however, it is important to clarify that online shopping is not better or worse than physical shopping, as both modes of shopping involve the transport of people and products. The key element of the issue is that the delivery of e-commerce orders can be done much more efficiently, limiting the environmental footprint of online shopping.
There are four critical factors related to sustainable delivery: the many missed deliveries and the excessive waste of packaging material. Each missed delivery results in extra CO2 emissions and unnecessary packaging material means that space inside delivery vans is wasted. By optimising loading space, more parcels can be transported in fewer trips/courses.
4 ways in which couriers can reduce their carbon footprint
1. Reduce the number of delivery attempts
The transport sector is responsible for 30% of Europe’s total CO2 emissions, 72% of which are produced by road transport alone. One of the most effective and obvious ways to limit CO2 emissions is therefore to reduce the number of delivery attempts. The fewer trips a van has to make to deliver a parcel – in Europe, cars account for 60.7% of total CO2 emissions – the lower its emissions will be. By allowing consumers to choose where and when they want to receive a parcel, retailers can increase the chances of a parcel being delivered on the first attempt. Good for the environment, but also good for the delivery person!
2. Offer an environmentally friendly delivery option
Nowadays there are many delivery services that guarantee sustainability. There are some couriers who are constantly working to renew their company fleet with the aim of reducing polluting emissions by 40%. The greening of the fleet has increased from 11% in 2016 to 17% in 2020, with the aim of replacing the entire company fleet with the latest generation of low-emission vehicles by 2022. Electric vehicle delivery services are not only sustainable but often excel in terms of convenience and efficiency. Using less packaging material can be considered a sustainable choice. In addition to the fact that it is a waste of plastic and cardboard, this method of packaging is inefficient. Oversized packaging takes up valuable space in delivery vans, reducing the number of packages that can be transported in a single run.
3. Choose recyclable packaging material
Consumers are not only critical about the use of packaging material, but also about its reuse. 82% agree that packaging material should be fully recyclable – think boxes, shipping bags, filler material and ink.It is therefore important for retailers to ensure that packaging can also be reused if the item purchased is returned. There are also retailers encouraging multiple use of packaging. For example, Zalando is experimenting with reusable packaging by asking customers, who do not need to return the item, to return the packaging by returning it via PO Box. The packaging can then be used at least 40 times to provide consumers with a long-term sustainable solution
4. Reduce the number of returns
It may sound obvious, but reducing the number of returns helps to limit the CO2 emissions of each order. Each return shipment causes extra transport, extra vans, extra fuel and therefore extra CO2. Providing clear product descriptions and high-resolution photos so that consumers have a clear and accurate idea of what they are buying not only reduces the likelihood of returns, but also benefits the environment.
“Sustainable delivery is not yet considered a top priority. However, there are some positive signs of changing consumer demand in the way they shop and deliver: sustainable packaging and electric vans are set to become more widespread across Europe in the near future. If we want consumers to choose green delivery, we need to convince them of its added value. This process starts with an increased focus on the different green delivery options already available. The more often sustainable delivery is offered, the more likely it will be to be adopted by consumers”.
There is much work to be done to reduce the environmental impact of online shopping, but by thinking critically about the use of packaging materials and shipping methods, retailers can contribute significantly to building a sustainable shopping system.