CLS explained simply: The impact of key ecommerce logistics trends on air pollution and CO2 emissions in the EU (Part 1)

Following the massive #growth in #B2C #supplies (#ecommerce) over the past years, bricks and mortar (B&M) #retailers have responded by entering this #business, leading to the merging of #retail modes and giving rise to #omnichannelretail. These shifts have been inevitably accompanied by #changesin the #transport system. In light of current #EU activities, it is worth examining the #environmentalimpact of ecommerce along the B&M retail #valuechain.

In June 2022, the EU #Commission (DG GROW) published a #study(https://bit.ly/3OqPpfg) examining the #environmental #footprint of ecommerce-related transport and #delivery. It identified a wide range of #potential #optionsfor reducing #greenhousegasemissions, as well as a series of associated #mitigation and supporting #measures.

It also identified 5 key #trends that could affect #logistics #operations along the #transport chain over the coming years, and which would have considerable impact on emissions within the individual transport legs.

𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝟭: 𝗕𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴
Logistic service providers (#LSP) will aim to bundle #shipments, especially in urban areas, in order to reduce the number of stops (“stop factor”) and increase the number of shipments delivered per stop (“drop factor”).

𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝟮: 𝗥𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀
LSPs are seeking to split the #lastmile in urban areas in order to bundle #deliveriesof shipments to micro depots before carrying out final distribution using non-polluting #vehicles (e.g., #cargo bikes). This applies to both ecommerce and B&M supplies.

𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝟯: 𝗥𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀
In rural areas, we expect to see pick-up points being located at #social #hubs, and fixed delivery dates (daily/weekly) established.

𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝟰: 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆
Given the growing level of environmental #awareness among #consumers, flexible ecommerce #customers may choose decelerated delivery, or delivery to the office. For B&M supplies, it is assumed that customers will seek to source items locally and pick them up using #sustainable methods of transport (e.g., e-bikes).

𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝟱: 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝘀
In ecommerce, transcontinental transport is expected to shift from maritime to #rail. The share of intra-EU ecommerce is also growing, the #result of increasingly interconnected #warehousing within the EU. For B&M supplies, we expect to see a growing shift from air to rail transport.