Online-retailing in Switzerland has been recording steady growth for years. This is accompanied by a significantly higher package volume and the increasing intensity of last-mile-deliveries to the end-customers. Due to the growing political and economic relevance, the public has been discussing and scrutinizing this development not only more and more, but also in a partly undifferentiated manner.
In light of the above, the climate-related environmental impacts of transport and transport packaging when purchasing consumer goods (clothing, food, home electronics) on the last mile to the end consumers in different distribution channels (online retailing, retail trade, Omni-Channel) in the Switzerland are investigated in this study. To quantify the climate-related environmental impacts, CO2-emissions are used as an established parameter.
Next to the Switzerland-specific secondary data, primary data in the form of average values of various CEP service providers and commercial enterprises flows into the data analysis. The study is supported by a neutral sponsorship with partners from all relevant stakeholder areas. The study results are expected to contribute to making the subjectively held discussion about the ecological advantage of individual distribution channels in retail more objective. Secondly, the results should help provide guidance for consumers, for whom CO2 emissions can cause variations in their shopping behavior.
Already at the end of October 2015, the results of the preliminary study were presented in the context of a practical workshop. The main study is expected to be completed in November 2016 with the publication of a comprehensive study report.
Fact Sheet:
Duration: 2016
Cooperation partners:
espace.mobilité
GS1 Switzerland
KEP&Mail
Swiss Post
Swiss Consumer Forum kf
Swiss Association of the Mail Order Sector (VSV)
Swiss Association of Chain Store Companies (VSF)