E-groceries: Sustainable last mile distribution in city planning

TLDR

E‑grocery is rapidly becoming a common form of online shopping, yet studies show mixed effects on travel, and the growth of e‑commerce and home deliveries is poised to reshape passenger and freight mobility in urban areas. The study surveys Norwegian food‑and‑grocery delivery users to examine how municipalities can integrate urbanisation and digitalisation trends into sustainable mobility and efficient freight transport planning, proposing several strategies. The authors conducted a survey of Norwegian users of food and grocery delivery services to gather data on home‑delivery usage. Home delivery of food and groceries is linked to fewer trips to physical stores and lower car use for those trips.

Abstract

E-grocery is developing into a frequent and prominent form of online shopping. While some empirical studies suggest that online shopping substitutes personal shopping travel, others indicate a limited or no impact on number of trips and travel distance. Mobility for passengers and freight is one of the key issues in integrated planning in urban areas, and the growth of e-commerce and home deliveries is likely to affect the structure and performance of the urban freight chain. This study explores the use of home delivery services through a survey among Norwegian users of services connected to food and groceries. The study draws on insight from the survey to discuss how city municipalities can integrate trends of urbanisation and digitalisation into planning for sustainable mobility and efficient urban freight transport. A prominent finding is that home delivery of food and groceries is associated with fewer trips to physical grocery stores and reduced car use on these trips. In considering implications for city planning, several strategies and potential instruments are presented and discussed.