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What’s the cost of online shopping to the environment? A new report is predicting that with online shopping increasing due to Covid-19 that deliveries from Black Friday will release more than 429,000 tonnes of carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
The new Dirty Delivery report by the personal finance experts at Money.co.uk, predicts that online sales this Black Friday will increase by at least 14 percent, compared to 2019, and this could result in 429,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, the equivalent to 435 return flights from London to New York.
One of the UK’s largest delivery companies, Hermes, is predicted to produce the most carbon emissions this Black Friday. The company delivered 13.9 million parcels in 2019, which is estimated to have resulted in 51,152 tonnes of carbon being produced. Assuming the estimated rise in online Black Friday transactions this year, it is predicted that 58,313 tonnes of carbon will be emitted by Hermes delivering parcels to households across the UK.
Hermes is followed by DPD with 41,952 tonnes of CO2 predicted, while Royal Mail is expected to produce 35,659 tonnes of CO2.
Hermes predicted to produce most carbon emissions delivering Black Friday orders
Of the 13 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 percent since 2005. Royal Mail has also recently invested in a 295 strong fleet of electric vehicles.
Amazon takes the top spot for the number of click and collect parcel locations in the UK with around 16,000. Not only do these click and collect locations and lockers help the environment by preventing numerous home deliveries, but they also serve to drive much-needed footfall into local business. In addition, the company has also invested heavily in electric vehicles with 1,800 vehicles from Mercedes-Benz to be added to its delivery fleet in Europe this year.
However, the report does add that Amazon could also process 5.1 million Black Friday transactions, which could result in 18,854 tonnes of CO2.
Eco-friendly shopping habits of UK consumers ahead of Black Friday
Just one in 10 shoppers (11.7 percent) factor carbon-friendly delivery into their online shopping decision, explains the report, however, almost three quarters (72 percent) admit preferring retailers who offer free delivery – the least eco-friendly option.
While one in five (20 percent) said they would refuse to pay extra to offset the carbon generation by their purchase, compared to 17 percent who would pay up to 2 pounds to do so.
Age also plays a part in eco-shopping decision making. 16-24-year-olds are twice as likely (16 percent) to opt for a green delivery option, compared to just 8 percent from the 55+ age group.
Salman Haqqi, personal finance expert at Money.co.uk, said: “With almost a third of consumers (32 percent) 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 percent of shoppers did not want to pay to offset the environmental impact of their online purchases, and a further 42 percent 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.”
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