Shops or Online Shopping - Which is Better for the Environment? New Guidance Gives Results
Does it make a difference to the climate whether we shop in physical stores or order home delivery? Do different consumer behaviours and products lead to varying levels of emissions? Today, a guide was published from the Vinnova-funded project 'Accessible and Efficient Omnichannels', which demonstrates how packaging choices, return rates, consumer travel, and other factors influence the most climate-smart way to shop for different consumers.
Foto: Lindholmen Science Park
Commerce and the choice of delivery method play a significant role in the pursuit of a sustainable society. Depending on where we live and what we purchase, we need to make different choices to minimise the impact of our consumption. In the Vinnova-funded project 'Accessible and Efficient Omnichannels', researchers from Lund University have mapped the journey of 26 products from their production site to consumers in three different municipalities. The results show how climate impact varies between in-store shopping and e-commerce, depending on whether consumers live in urban, suburban, or rural areas.
Among the products studied, e-commerce is often preferable to in-store shopping when aiming to reduce CO2 emissions. A clear example where in-store shopping is more climate-smart is when a metropolitan consumer buys fashion products - this is due to the return rate of fashion products being significantly higher in e-commerce (approximately 40%) than in physical stores (approximately 1.5%). The other products studied - books and electronics - often generate lower climate impact when purchased online than in stores
Consumers, retailers, and local authorities must think smartly and take responsibility here. When used correctly, e-commerce can play a vital role in reducing emissions in society, particularly for consumers who do not have walking distance access to a shop.
Karin Svensson,project leader, ASTER
Even though products often travel long distances globally, the final transportation leg from a postal pick-up point or shop to the consumer's home is of great significance. To reduce emissions from in-store shopping, it is therefore important to promote sustainable travel patterns among consumers, for example by reducing car dependency and coordinating errands. Within e-commerce, packaging throughout the entire chain, from production to consumer, is often a key factor to address in order to minimise climate impact.
In omnichannel retail, all sales and distribution channels are seamlessly integrated. This project provides retail companies with knowledge about which factors affect CO2 efficiency in home delivery, pick-up points, and in-store sales, so that each distribution channel can be optimised for different consumers.
Henrik Pålsson, Professor of Packaging Logistics at Lund University
About the Project
The Vinnova-funded project 'Accessible and Efficient Omnichannels' commenced in September 2023 and concluded in March 2025. The project's aim was to examine emissions from various purchasing methods and delivery methods within retail, across diverse geographical areas. The aspiration is that the results, in the long term, will contribute to developing strategies to mitigate the climate impact of retail.
Participants in the project included Gina Tricot, Adlibris, NetOnNet, Kalmar Municipality, Umeå Municipality, Swedish Trade Federation, and Vasakronan. Data collection and analysis were conducted by Lund University, and the project was managed by ASTER.
ASTER is operated jointly by Lund University and Lindholmen Science Park
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Karin Svensson
Sustainable omnichannels
Phone: +46 (0)31-764 70 00
E-mail: info@lindholmen.se
About ASTER
ASTER aims to ensure that every e-commerce delivery in Sweden will contribute to an active and sustainable society.
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