{"id":75091,"date":"2023-02-09T10:18:21","date_gmt":"2023-02-09T15:18:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radial.com\/?post_type=insight&p=75091"},"modified":"2025-05-15T08:49:20","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T12:49:20","slug":"the-impact-of-sustainability-on-e-commerce-fulfillment-operations","status":"publish","type":"insight","link":"https:\/\/www.radial.com\/eur\/insights\/the-impact-of-sustainability-on-e-commerce-fulfillment-operations","title":{"rendered":"The Impact of Sustainability on E-commerce Fulfillment Operations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Retail and e-commerce for many years have had a major impact on the environment through manufacturing, supply chain emissions, excessive packaging, and more. Aware of their impact, retailers know they can drive meaningful change. As consumer demand for sustainability grows, brands must act to earn trust and loyalty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Retailers like Amazon and Walmart are leading among large retailers who have made climate pledges and are taking action to reach net zero carbon footprints. While e-commerce fulfillment<\/a> is one of the largest areas that generates waste and carbon emissions, it is also an area where retailers have the most control. With a sharp rise in online shopping since the pandemic, retailers are doubling down on their sustainability initiatives.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Radial Europe, Warsaw Fulfillment Site, Poland<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n

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Do consumers really care?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Yes, they do. A recent study found that 60% of global consumers rank sustainability as an important purchase criterion,<\/a> and 70% of US consumers say they will change brands if they discover the brand is not operating in a sustainable way<\/a>. The word “sustainability” means different things to different people, but generally includes reducing waste, recycling, using eco-friendly materials, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and using ethical labour practices.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Further, a 2021 IBM study found that 51% of consumers say they care more about sustainability than they did in the prior 12 months<\/a> and nearly half are willing to pay 59% more for eco-friendly products. This consumer sentiment makes it clear that sustainability isn\u2019t only good for the environment; it\u2019s also good for business.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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What\u2019s important to consumers<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Consumers care about retailers\u2019 overall sustainability practices, but it\u2019s the ones that directly impact shoppers that carry the most weight. Typically, this involves sustainable and recyclable packaging. In the US, cardboard boxes used for shipping packages account for one billion trees annually<\/a>, demonstrating how just this one aspect alone affects the environment in a profound way.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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And it\u2019s not just cardboard. According to Statista, in 2019, the Chinese eCommerce industry produced about 488 million pounds of plastic packaging waste<\/a>. That same year, the estimated worldwide amount of plastic packaging waste produced by e-commerce fulfillment activities surpassed two billion pounds. Statista predicts this amount will double by 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Where can retailers drive change?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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