Descartes Study “Sustainable Deliveries Under Scrutiny”

The Descartes Systems Group, the world’s leading Software-as-a-Service provider for logistics companies, has published its third study on online consumers’ attitudes towards sustainable delivery options titled. The annual study shows that 57 percent of the 8,000 consumers surveyed from Europe and North America expressed a strong to very strong interest in eco-friendly delivery options during the survey period.

(Leipzig) However, 89 percent believe that their willingness to pay more for sustainable deliveries is influenced by the current economic situation. Additionally, 34 percent stated that economic pressure has already significantly to drastically reduced this willingness.

“Many consumers are under significant financial pressure due to the current economic situation. Nevertheless, our study shows that the fundamental interest in eco-friendly companies and delivery options remains very high,” says Johannes Panzer, Head of Industry Solutions, E-Commerce at the Descartes Systems Group. Almost all respondents (99 percent) indicated that they would like to do more to reduce their ecological footprint. Already, 38 percent of the surveyed consumers make their purchasing decisions based on the potential environmental impact of the product or manufacturer.

More than half of the consumers interested in sustainable delivery options prefer delivery services to bundle multiple orders and deliver them at a later time – either at the end of the week (57 percent) or when multiple deliveries are pending in their vicinity (53 percent). The use of a fully CO2-neutral delivery service is also popular (56 percent). Instead of having products delivered to their homes, 51 percent of respondents prefer to pick up their orders in stores, while 47 percent use a central drop-off point. Respondents also attribute influence to retailers in the choice of delivery method – either by having sellers assess the environmental impact of all available delivery options and thus facilitate the decision (46 percent), or by recommending the most eco-friendly option (53 percent). 45 percent are willing to accept longer delivery times to keep deliveries more environmentally friendly. However, only just under a quarter of respondents are willing to pay a higher price for the product or for a more sustainable delivery (26 percent).

Consumers Face a Dilemma

“Consumers are facing a dilemma: they want to engage more in environmental protection, but the current economic situation reduces their ability and willingness to choose more sustainable options,” summarizes Panzer. He therefore recommends that retailers educate consumers about the cost-effectiveness of their eco-friendly delivery options: “Companies can leverage the growing interest in sustainable delivery methods to position themselves as environmentally friendly and gain customer loyalty.” Most climate-friendly delivery options are economically advantageous for retailers anyway: they increase delivery density as more deliveries are consolidated, ultimately lowering transportation costs.

Read the study here

The study “Sustainable Deliveries Under Scrutiny: Environmentally Conscious Consumers Under Pressure” was conducted among 8,000 consumers in Europe and North America to gain insights into the role of the environment in their purchasing and delivery decisions. It also aimed to determine how views differ by age group and geographical region. The goal was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the relationships between sustainability, last-mile deliveries, and consumer purchasing behavior across all demographic groups. Additionally, the willingness to reduce one’s CO2 footprint through eco-friendly delivery options was assessed. The study also includes an analysis of the impacts of inflation and other economic factors on delivery preferences.

Photo: © Descartes