DIRTY DELIVERY REPORT: THE CARBON COST OF ONLINE SHOPPING

• Deliveries from Black Friday shopping are expected to release over 429,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere*
• Just 1 in 10 shoppers consider the environmental impact of their online shopping**
• Hermes is forecasted to produce 58,313 tonnes of CO2; the most out of all online delivery companies this Black Friday. 
• Amazon could process 5.1 million transactions on Black Friday which could result in 18,854 tonnes of CO2  
• One in three (35%) of consumers opt for next day delivery when making a purchase online which can be the least carbon-efficient 
• The Dirty Delivery Report can be found here: https://www.money.co.uk/guides/dirty-delivery-report-2020 

Online shopping this Black Friday is expected to break records but at what cost to the environment? The personal finance experts at money.co.uk have crunched the numbers to reveal which delivery companies are the most carbon conscious and which ones could be doing more to be more green. 

Dirty Deliveries – how carbon-conscious are the UK’s delivery companies?

Of the 12 delivery companies included in the report, Royal Mail was identified as the most carbon-conscious delivery company, scoring 54.5 out of 60. The company has the largest ‘feet on the street’ network of 90,000 postal workers, and they have reduced carbon emissions by 29% since 2005. The company has recently invested in a 295 strong fleet of electric vehicles to further reduce its carbon footprint. 

Amazon takes the top spot for the number of click and collect parcel locations in the UK with around 16,000 and takes second place in the overall study, scoring 47.5 out of 60 for its green initiatives. 

Not only do Amazon’s click and collect locations and lockers help the environment by preventing numerous home deliveries, but they also drive much-needed footfall into local businesses. 

The company has also invested heavily in electric vehicles (EVs), with 1,800**** vehicles from Mercedes-Benz joining Amazon’s delivery fleet in Europe this year.

Interestingly, the bicycle has gained popularity with delivery companies such as CitySprint, DHL, Amazon, DPD, and Yodel; all offering bicycle delivery options. 

Courier company DTDC came in last place scoring only 5 out of 60 possible eco-friendly points. The company had no evidence of implementing more eco-friendly initiatives for delivering their packages. 

Eco-friendly shopping habits of UK consumers

Just one in 10 shoppers (11.7%) factor carbon-friendly delivery into their online shopping decision, but almost three quarters (72%) admit preferring retailers who offer free delivery; the least eco-friendly option.

One in five (20%) said they would refuse to pay extra to offset the carbon generation by their purchase, compared to 17% who would pay up to £2 to do so.

Age plays a part in eco-shopping decision making. Those aged between 16-24 are twice as likely (16%) to opt for a green delivery option when compared to the 55+ age group (8%). 

Salman Haqqi, personal finance expert at money.co.uk, said: 

“With almost a third of consumers (32%) stating that they would be more likely to shop with a retailer if they offered a green or eco-friendly option, it is clear there is some appetite for more environmentally conscious delivery methods.

“Despite this, our research found that 20% of shoppers did not want to pay to offset the environmental impact of their online purchases, and a further 42% admitted to not feeling any environmental guilt when purchasing items online. 

“Although there is clear interest from consumers to reduce their carbon footprint when shopping online, it appears speed and reliability are two qualities British consumers are more keen for delivery companies to possess.”

Find the full money.co.uk Dirty Delivery Report here: https://www.money.co.uk/guides/dirty-delivery-report-2020