Having sustainable delivery is no longer a differentiator but a mandatory item.
After all, in addition to being good for the planet, consumers are increasingly attentive and demanding, seeking products and services from sustainable companies.
Therefore, understand everything about sustainable delivery, how it works, what the benefits are and how to adopt it in your everyday life.
What is sustainable delivery?
Sustainable delivery is a delivery modality whose purpose is to sustainability through the use of environmentally friendly packaging, non-polluting transport – such as bicycles and electric vehicles. Furthermore, there is an incentive to pay attention to food waste, for example and the generation of polluting waste (such as plastic cutlery).
Thus, also called ecodelivery, This type of delivery has attracted the attention of Brazilian consumers, who are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of consumption.
Receiving plastic-free orders, for example, is a 72% desire of consumers interviewed in the survey Perceptions about plastic among delivery app users, held in March 2021.
The research was carried out by Intelligence in Research and Consultancy (Ipec) for the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and by the NGO Oceana.
How important is it to invest in sustainable delivery?
Climate change, global warming and deforestation are urgent issues that governments and society in general have been dealing with over the last 30 years.
But Brazil is still far from achieving sustainability goals. The country produces more than 78 million tons of waste per year, being 13.5% of plastic, and recycles only 1,2%.
Data on recycling is part of the study Solving Plastic Pollution: Transparency and Accountability, from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
Therefore, the importance of investing in sustainable delivery.
Therefore, adopting a cleaner and more environmentally correct delivery, in addition to being good for the planet, is a competitive differentiator for companies.
This is because 87% of Brazilian consumers prefer to consume products and services from sustainable companies, and 70% don't mind paying more for it.
The conclusion is from study from Union + Webster, 2019, released by the Federation of Industries of the State of Paraná (Fiep).
Benefits of sustainable delivery
There are several benefits of sustainable delivery, which affect everyone involved in the process: consumers, the environment and businesses win.
Another positive factor is the reduction in CO2 emissions and other Greenhouse Gases (GHG), since in sustainable delivery means of transport that do not pollute are used.
Therefore, because they do not pollute, the carbon footprint of these means of transport is practically zero.
A Carbon footprint This is what measures greenhouse gas emissions from the life cycle of a product, processes or services that enter the atmosphere and are then converted into carbon.
Bicycle, electric bicycle, scooter, electric motorcycles are some non-polluting modes suitable for making deliveries to small, medium and long distances.
Not only do they not emit CO2, they are also more economical than conventional vehicles.
Furthermore, exchanging plastic packaging for paper and cardboard packaging can help reduce the volume of plastic that ends up in landfills, landfills, on the streets and in the oceans.
In this sense, paper takes three to six months to decompose, while plastic needs, on average, 400 years or more.
5 sustainable delivery practices
Adhering to sustainable delivery makes a company more competitive, environmentally responsible and economical.
To achieve this, there are practices that can be adopted for environmentally friendly deliveries.
Therefore, we have listed five practices for sustainable delivery. See what they are below.
- Choose to use non-polluting means of transport, such as bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, electric motorbikes and drones;
- Replace plastic packaging with paper, cardboard and alternative biodegradable materials from renewable sources, such as bamboo and cassava;
- Adopt the reverse logistic whenever possible;
- Partner with recycling cooperatives;
- Ask the customer how many and which disposable items they will need to avoid excess.
Modals that encourage sustainable delivery
Non-polluting modes are the main means of transport for collections and deliveries in sustainable delivery.
These vehicles are bikes, electric bikes, scooters and electric motorcycles, for example.
They do not emit CO2, are economical, promote agility, have affordable prices and help reduce congestion.
To the electric motorcycles, for example, are a viable option both from the point of view of sustainability and savings, as they reduce costs and do not emit CO2.
A pioneer in the use of electric motorcycles in delivery, iFood aims to make 50% of deliveries in non-polluting modes, until 2025, through the program iFood Regenerates.
5 tips to support sustainable delivery
Consumers play a fundamental role in the adoption and consolidation of sustainable practices in delivery, making conscious choices in favor of the environment.
Many even believe that there must be a commitment from companies in this regard.
According to Ipec research, 77% of consumers interviewed believe that apps should publicly commit to targets for reducing plastic items.
Therefore, check out five tips to support sustainable delivery.
- Choose to place orders via app and restaurants that use non-polluting means of transport, such as bikes and electric bikes;
- Dispense with cutlery, cups, straws and other disposable items;
- Whenever possible, return glass and plastic bottles to establishments;
- Plan your purchases to avoid waste;
- Search and find sustainable companies.
Sustainable delivery and iFood
Sustainable delivery is a priority issue at iFood. By 2025, the foodtech wants to be a neutral company in CO2 emissions and make 50% of deliveries using clean modes.
As iFood Regenerates, a positive environmental impact program, iFood wants to eliminate the environmental impact of its deliveries.
This has been done through investment in electric vehicles and sustainable packaging research and development initiatives to replace the plastic.
One of these initiatives is the Friends of Nature program, which invites partner restaurants to be part of the initiative to reduce the use of plastic.
The action has already yielded impressive results.
So, just look at the numbers of plastic-free deliveries: 100 millions in eight months, involving 82% of customers, who dispensed with plastic items.
Ultimately, this prevented the use of 925 tons of plastic with meals.
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