Sustainable e-commerce in the United Kingdom (UK) - statistics & facts
Like other G7 countries, the United Kingdom (UK) committed to the net-zero emissions target by 2050, this including all economic sectors. Retail and e-commerce companies pledged to cut off the volume of greenhouse gases released into the environment throughout the whole supply chain, from product manufacturing to final deliveries. In the year after the COVID-19 pandemic, floor areas transacted for online retail warehousing as well as the increasing number of transportation businesses grew tremendously. However, by the end of 2022, e-commerce logistics activities – and their environmental impact – seem to have stabilized.
Estimates based on urban areas like London showed that home delivery or, even worse, fast on-demand delivery are the least sustainable models, as they require a higher number of vehicles to satisfy the expected demand. In turn, shipping to pick-up points and parcel lockers would make delivery more efficient and eco-friendlier. However, only e-commerce giant Amazon and courier In Post announced investments in parcel lockers’ networks in the UK. Compared to other European countries, the UK is still very much behind in out-of-home (OOH) delivery offering.
Restructure online delivery
E-commerce and brick-and-mortar retailers share the commitment to eco-friendly sourcing of raw materials. In the online retail arena, only a small portion of emissions is due to the delivery of online orders. Meanwhile, most of the retailers' carbon footprint comes from the production, supply, and distribution of products that precedes the sale and delivery to consumers. Nevertheless, both online retailers and shipping companies are making tangible efforts to decarbonize the online order fulfillment process by intervening in what pollutes the most: last-mile delivery.Estimates based on urban areas like London showed that home delivery or, even worse, fast on-demand delivery are the least sustainable models, as they require a higher number of vehicles to satisfy the expected demand. In turn, shipping to pick-up points and parcel lockers would make delivery more efficient and eco-friendlier. However, only e-commerce giant Amazon and courier In Post announced investments in parcel lockers’ networks in the UK. Compared to other European countries, the UK is still very much behind in out-of-home (OOH) delivery offering.
