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With Black Friday 2020 just days away, online shopping is expected to be bigger than ever this year. But what cost will our online shopping have to the environment this Black Friday?
The new Dirty Delivery report by the personal finance experts at money.co.uk investigates how much CO2 could be produced by the millions of packages set to be delivered across the country.
After crunching the numbers the experts predict that Black Friday 2020 will see a whopping 22,080,000,000kg of carbon emitted into the atmosphere as purchases are predicted to reach 6bn.
Calculating the Carbon Footprint of Black Friday Online Sales since 2014
Below, the table charts the increase in CO2 each year, based on the increase in Black Friday online transactions combined with the amount of carbon produced by the delivery of a single parcel (3.68kg).
Source: Money.co.uk
If you’d like to use the research, please credit money.co.uk with a link to their Celebrity Chef Credit report here: https://www.money.co.uk/guides/dirty-delivery-report-2020
Below, I’ve pasted the report for more detailed insight, sources, and methodology.
DIRTY DELIVERY REPORT: THE CARBON COST OF ONLINE SHOPPING
• 22,080,000,000kgs or 22,080,000 tonnes of CO2 expected to be released by 6bn predicted Black Friday purchases*
• Just 1 in 10 shoppers consider the environmental impact of deliveries of their online purchases**
• Hermes is predicted to produce the most CO2 from Black Friday deliveries; 58,313 tonnes of CO2
• Amazon could process 5.1 million Black Friday transactions which could result in 18,854 tonnes of CO2
• One in three (35%) of consumers opt for next day delivery when making a purchase online which can be the least carbon-efficient
• The Dirty Delivery Report can be found here: https://www.money.co.uk/guides/dirty-delivery-report-2020
Online shopping this Black Friday is expected to break records but at what cost to the environment? The personal finance experts at money.co.uk have investigated how much CO2 could be produced by the millions of packages set to be delivered across the country.
With Black Friday purchases estimated to rise by at least 7% in 2020 vs 2019, after crunching the numbers the experts predict that Black Friday 2020 could be responsible for 22,080,000,000kgs or 22,080,000 tonnes of CO2 as purchases are predicted to top 6bn.
The impact of Black Friday Purchases on Pollution YoY:
Source: Money.co.uk
Since 2014 the amount spent on Black Friday bargains by consumers has increased which has meant that each year the amount of carbon emitted by sales has increased considerably with 2020 seeing the largest environmental impact as more consumers shop online.
Dirty Deliveries – how carbon-conscious are the UK’s delivery companies?
Of the 12 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% since 2005. The company has 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.
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.
Eco-friendly shopping habits of UK consumers
Just one in 10 shoppers (11.7%) factor carbon-friendly delivery into their online shopping decision, but almost three quarters (72%) admit preferring retailers who offer free delivery; the least eco-friendly option.
One in five (20%) said they would refuse to pay extra to offset the carbon generation by their purchase, compared to 17% who would pay up to £2 to do so.
Age plays a part in eco-shopping decision making. 16-24-year-olds are twice as likely (16%) to opt for a green delivery option, compared to the 55+ age group (8%).
Salman Haqqi, personal finance expert at money.co.uk, said:
“With almost a third of consumers (32%) 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% of shoppers did not want to pay to offset the environmental impact of their online purchases, and a further 42% 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.”
Find the full money.co.uk Dirty Delivery Report here: https://www.money.co.uk/guides/dirty-delivery-report-2020
