Half of Britons more likely to shop with retailers with eco-friendly delivery

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Apr 24, 2019

As more and more consumers embrace sustainability in the way they shop, for example by adopting reusable bags, the next step will be for online retailers to start offering more sustainable delivery options.

This is according to new a research commissioned by leading click & collect provider Doddle, which found that over two-fifths of Brits are now more likely to shop with a rival retailer if they offer a greater range of sustainable delivery options.

Currently, only 6% of shoppers always favour click & collect over home delivery, but this is set to change as urban congestion and air quality issues raise awareness of the environmental effects of transport.

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The survey has found consumers are already showing signs of a behavioural change. Two-fifths don’t think retailers currently do a good enough job of offering sustainable options, and a quarter are annoyed that home delivery is often positioned as the default option, generating unnecessary emissions.

Older shoppers are more concerned about packaging and clothes waste, while younger consumers are adopting more eco-friendly habits, according to the findings. 53% of those aged 18 to 24 are planning to use direct home delivery less in future, nearly double the number of 45-year-olds (29%).

These changing attitudes could impact retailers’ bottom lines if they don’t give their customers green choices. 50% of people who were surveyed only want to support retailers with a wide range of sustainable options in future, rising to 56% of younger shoppers.

And shoppers are prepared to pay extra too. 47% said they would pay £1 or more, and 26% would be happy to pay £2 or more for a sustainable delivery.

“As shoppers continue to become more environmentally conscious, retailers need to mirror this in their offer. While convenience remains important for customers, it’s not enough for sustainable delivery to be an add-on or after-thought anymore - in an already tough environment, it will set brands apart in their battle for customer loyalty,” commented Tim Robinson, CEO of Doddle.

“With a quarter (26%) of consumers actually surprised by how many of their favourite brands still only offer home delivery, retailers need to make alternatives like click & collect, consolidated deliveries and store kiosks more prominent at checkout and be explicit about the environmental benefits.

According to Doddle, there could be over a 80% reduction in delivery vehicles on the street if all shoppers used click & collect or pick-up-drop-off points. In addition to reducing traffic congestion, this would help curb air pollution, as delivery vans emit 147g of CO2 per kilometre, Doddle said.