Is Last-Mile Delivery Sustainable?

In 2023 alone, the world shipped more than 350 billion packages, a number that’s projected to continue increasing over the next decade or so. Last-mile delivery has allowed packages to move quickly from warehouse to customer, sometimes in as quickly as a few minutes. But is last-mile delivery sustainable, or is it increasing the carbon footprint of deliveries?

Last-mile delivery companies are making efforts to implement sustainable practices and reduce their carbon footprints. While there’s still a long way to go, in general, last-mile delivery is more sustainable compared to traditional delivery methods. We’ll explore the sustainability of last-mile delivery in more detail below.

In this article:

• Why Prioritizing Last-Mile Delivery Sustainability Is a Must
• How Last-Mile Delivery Improves Sustainability
• Challenges Facing the Sustainability of Last-Mile Delivery
• Using Delivery Automation Software To Improve Last-Mile Sustainability
• Frequently Asked Questions

Why Prioritizing Last-Mile Delivery Sustainability Is a Must

Sustainable practices help to ensure that necessary resources are available for years—and, hopefully, generations—to come. Businesses that prioritize sustainability actively look for ways to reduce their carbon footprints by preventing waste, lowering emissions, and more. Sustainable practices can also impact societal issues such as gender inequality and human rights.

Overall, consumers want to see improvements in sustainability. A NielsenIQ study found that 78% of US consumers value sustainability. People expect to see businesses doing what they can to make positive changes to the environment and society.

Last-mile delivery services that don’t prioritize sustainability may fall behind competitively and be looked down upon by consumers. They also stand to leave a significantly negative mark on eco-friendliness, especially if they avoid innovating their operations to implement new sustainable technologies, practices, and policies.

Discover how the Wise Systems delivery automation platform can help you implement more sustainable practices. Request a demo today.

How Last-Mile Delivery Improves Sustainability

When businesses use last-mile delivery services wisely and sustainably, last-mile delivery has the power to be extremely eco-friendly. Research from Accenture found that, in general, last-mile delivery is quicker, more affordable, and more sustainable than traditional delivery methods. Here are a few powerful insights from that research:

• Local fulfillment centers make deliveries more efficient, allowing drivers to travel shorter distances. For example, Chicago and London each saw a 13% reduction in delivery traffic after improving their local fulfillment center
• Businesses are making smart, sustainable choices. From upgrading fleets to include electric vehicles to offering greener delivery options, like pickups at local fulfillment centers, logistics companies are making small changes to improve sustainability.
• Delivery networks are partnering with one another to increase efficiency, like the USPS offering a Parcel Select® service that other shippers can partner with for reliable package sorting and delivery.

When delivery companies focus specifically on sustainability, last-mile delivery can be environmentally friendly. However, businesses and customers utilizing delivery services must also work together toward a more sustainable future.

Challenges Facing the Sustainability of Last-Mile Delivery

As online purchasing ramps up, the need for quick deliveries increases, placing more demand on delivery services. To successfully complete last-mile delivery, delivery companies make more deliveries or stretch delivery windows. Without proper planning, routing can become inefficient, requiring extra stops and excess fuel use.

An increase in deliveries can also lead to increased returns. Returns require extra deliveries for one consumer. Similarly, failed delivery attempts require repeated deliveries to one consumer, increasing fuel use and vehicle wear and tear.

Location also plays a role in last-mile delivery sustainability. Urban environments cause traffic congestion, leading to a rise in emissions and potentially longer delivery times. Rural environments aren’t necessarily better for the last mile, as they require longer driving distances, also impacting emissions.

Discover how Wise Systems can help you overcome these challenges. Book a demo today.

Using Delivery Automation Software To Improve Last-Mile Sustainability

Anheuser-Busch continues to invest in a sustainable future for its fleet operations. Read more here: https://t.co/v3pqA57AkA

— Wise Systems (@goWiseSystems) April 19, 2023

Logistics companies can improve sustainability in the last mile by prioritizing efficiency. The Wise Systems delivery automation platform automates routing, dispatching, and tracking while analyzing key data points to monitor last-mile delivery and driver performance. These insights enable last-mile delivery operators to discover small changes that can significantly impact sustainability.

Request a demo today to discover how Wise Systems can help you improve last-mile sustainability.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does last-mile delivery affect the environment?

Last-mile delivery can increase carbon emissions when using traditional delivery vehicles. However, many companies have pivoted to using greener vehicle options, including bicycles, delivery robots, and electric vehicles.

How can last-mile delivery become more sustainable?

Perhaps the biggest issue impacting the sustainability of last-mile delivery is inefficiencies in routing and planning. By using fleet management software to plan routes and dispatch drivers accordingly, last-mile delivery can become more efficient and sustainable. Switching to eco-friendly modes of transportation, like electric vehicles or drones, can also boost sustainability.

Can out-of-home delivery increase sustainability?

Out-of-home delivery allows delivery recipients to pick up their deliveries in a centralized location rather than have them delivered directly to their homes. This strategy can increase sustainability, as delivery vehicles won’t need to visit each home individually, instead dropping off all packages at these centralized hubs to reduce time, money, and emissions.