Seven Senders Study on Sustainability in E-Commerce

Many want to afford something – and protect the climate. In the tension of this apparent dilemma operates the flourishing online trade in Europe. Because 60 percent of Germans and even 64.2 percent of French people consider e-commerce to be an environmental sin. They are wrong, as scientific studies show. This is evident from a study presented today by Seven Senders on sustainability in online retail.

(PresseBox/Berlin) In Generation Z, which includes young people aged 18 to 24, nine out of ten believe that every company should take environmental responsibility. Already, 85 percent of European companies are interested in reducing their emissions. This also affects the e-commerce sector, although it stands significantly better in terms of environmental impact compared to brick-and-mortar retail: On average, the calculated CO2 emissions per product sold online are 2.3 times lower. Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement in climate protection: The lion’s share of emissions generated in e-commerce comes from transportation – including both the first and last mile. It accounts for between 35 and 65 percent of the total environmental impact and thus offers, alongside packaging and returns management, the greatest leverage for improvements.

Awareness is not the same as action

The study shows: With the growing environmental awareness of online shoppers in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands, the willingness to spend more money on sustainable delivery options has also increased sharply, from 54 percent in 2021 to 70 percent this year. However, this does not automatically mean that the option is actually used at checkout. Exciting best practices in the Seven Senders study show that good user guidance and information about the environmental impacts of different shipping solutions contribute to sustainable options being accepted up to four times more often. Overall, the study makes it clear that online retail relies on the cooperation of its customers to achieve its climate goals: Reducing the return rate, which causes avoidable environmental impacts, or increasing acceptance for delivery to out-of-home collection points creates quick wins for the climate that every e-tailer can only achieve together with its customers – and thus save tons of CO2. Exactly how much is quantified by Seven Senders even within the framework of a DEKRA-certified calculation model: Accordingly, delivery to an out-of-home collection point causes an average of 300 g less CO2 per package compared to delivery to a private address.

Sustainability is (not) a future topic

Nevertheless, the path to an online retail sector that no longer causes emissions is still long – and the realization of CO2-neutral logistics solutions, such as the use of electric trucks, will still take years. Climate protection, however, needs quickly effective solutions, and here the compensation for temporarily unavoidable CO2 emissions offers a “golden bridge” to a low-emission or even emission-free future, where corresponding measures can be implemented and take effect. The study also shows that such a strategy can be a competitive advantage and growth impulse for responsibly acting e-tailers: Due to the economies of scale of e-commerce logistics and differing consumption habits in the various European markets, even expansion can lead to positive effects in the climate balance. Thomas Hagemann, founder and co-CEO of Seven Senders, sees e-tailers on a good path towards sustainability: “Hardly any industry is developing as dynamically as online retail, which is familiar with disruption like few others. Responding early to consumer wishes and implementing them quickly and efficiently is one of its strengths. The intense debate about environmental and climate protection as well as more sustainability in consumption can once again be used by e-tailers to grow and gain strength.”

Download the study

Photo: © Seven Senders