More work to do on sustainability, reveals retailer survey

In last month’s newsletter eco-commerce by Asendia we launched a survey to learn more about the approaches being taken by our global client base to sustainability. The results are in – and they’re full of surprises.

Sustainability’s a top priority, but…

Our survey results suggest that while businesses understand the importance of sustainability, reaching carbon neutrality is still a work in progress for most. Half of the 40 businesses that answered our survey say that sustainability is a ‘top priority’ for their business, but 58% aren’t currently offering greener shipping options despite the heavy environmental impact of standard deliveries. 

Customers are onboard with green shipping

Despite less than half of our respondents offering it, the majority of them acknowledge that their customers do have at least some interest in being given the option of carbon-free shipping. That tallies with research elsewhere which suggests consumers are increasingly willing to limit the environmental impact of their purchases.

Research by IBM found that 49% of consumers say they’ve paid a premium to purchase a product branded as sustainable or socially responsible in the past 12 months, and according to Sifted 57% are willing to pay 10% or more for eco-friendly shipping or packaging. 

Some action is being taken to address the gap in consumer expectations and reality though, as 30% of businesses surveyed plan to offer greener shipping options in the future.

Feeling the pressure?

According to our results, almost three-quarters of businesses feel under pressure to offer greener options.

Of those who do feel pressure, there’s a fairly even split between those who feel the main source of that pressure is internal (55%) or external (45%). The slight lean towards internal suggests that businesses are conscious of the need to stay ahead of the curve on environmental issues through their own sustainability drives, but outside factors like consumer demands and legislative deadlines are certainly doing their bit to keep them on their toes.

Ultimately though, the fact that such a high number of respondents do feel under pressure indicates that, while businesses understand the importance of carbon reduction initiatives, more can be done to offer them support and guidance in their green efforts.  

Work to do

The results show that businesses have good intentions when it comes to their sustainability efforts, but there’s still more to do when it comes to providing green shipping options. E-commerce firms need to start turning plans into action to tackle carbon reduction or face the risk of their customers turning to greener competitors. 

For more information about sustainability at Asendia, click here: