A new study suggests that consumers don’t realise the environmental impact of short delivery timeframes and when it was explained only 10% said they would choose express delivery options.
The survey of 1,000 consumers, by B2C Europe, said that only one in ten shoppers would choose a one to two-day service once they realised its impact on traffic and air pollution. 85% would choose green delivery (6-8 days) or standard delivery (3-5 days) and 60% said they were prepared to pay extra for sustainable delivery methods.
Packaging was also an issue with more than half (59%) saying that they were prepared to pay a deposit for packaging and later collect this by returning the packaging to a local supermarket.
Rijk van Meekeren, CCO and founder of B2C Europe, said the survey results showed that whilst customers want fast delivery they aren’t necessarily aware of the impact their choices have. “While it’s really heartening to see that consumers in all three territories would forgo fast delivery if it meant less damage to the environment, these findings are not the end of the conversation,” he said.
“What our surveys are telling us is that, as an industry, we must not only be better at informing consumers about the environmental impact of their delivery decisions, but we must also evaluate trends towards faster and cheaper delivery as consumers look for eco-friendly alternatives. Ecommerce is a fast-growing market, but its future depends on the industry’s ability to innovate and improve, particularly in sustainable delivery options.”
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