With just two weeks to go until Christmas, and with warnings of this year being the busiest ever for online retailers, Tim Robinson, chief executive of Doddle, which powers sustainable online deliveries, has said that online shoppers should prioritise click and collect services where possible this festive period. He says such a move would avoid disappointment with presents not arriving on time and serve as a greener alternative to environmentally harmful home deliveries this Christmas.
The pandemic has exacerbated demand for online shopping, which has already been surging for years, and accounted for 20 per cent of total retail sales pre-Covid. 2020 is on pace to be the biggest year ever for online retail, further amplifying the emissions impact of deliveries. A 2019 study by the UK’s National Infrastructure Commission found that without intervention, road and rail freight could account for a fifth of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
Robinson’s comments come as new research from YouGov shows that an overwhelming majority (84 per cent) of British adults agree that “it’s in the interests of people and the planet” that businesses and Governments prioritise a shift towards more sustainable consumer lifestyles. British consumers have also become increasingly concerned about the consequences of home deliveries on the environment and wider society. The survey shows that:
- 60 per cent of British adults are concerned about online deliveries impact on carbon emissions;
- 63 per cent are concerned about the impact on air quality and the associated health impacts; and
- 64 per cent are worried about the welfare and mental health of delivery drivers.
- Three quarters (74 per cent) of young people (18-24-year olds) list eCommerce’s impact on air pollution as their top concern – with 68 per cent referencing its carbon effects.
However, close to half (46 per cent) said they believed increased use of ‘pick-up and drop-off’ (PUDO) points by customers would make a positive impact on the environment – with 57 per cent of British adults who currently don’t ‘always’ use PUDO points saying they would be willing to use one in the future for their online shopping. Two-fifths (40 per cent) said they think access to more information that would allow them to buy goods that have been dispatched locally would make online shopping more environmentally friendly. Just 12 per cent said they think a surcharge on home deliveries below a certain weight would be effective to this end.
Tim Robinson, CEO of Doddle, said: “Home delivery will always play an important role in eCommerce. But current levels of demand are completely unsustainable for both the environment and our road networks. Transport is responsible for the most greenhouse gas emissions of any sector in our economy. We desperately need to see change. That is why Doddle is urging online businesses, delivery companies and Government to promote the increased use of ‘pick up drop off’ (PUDO) points by customers, where they can collect and return their online shopping from a local hub like a Post Office or convenience store, reducing the number of miles driven by delivery vans, and reducing the strain on the environment, road network and ecommerce delivery workers.”
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