Unlocking green delivery: What’s driving the preferences of online consumers?

The rapid rise of e-commerce is reshaping urban logistics, driving up delivery volumes and contributing to urban congestion. CodeZERO and its sister project GreenTurn are focused on improving the sustainability of this growing sector.

GreenTurn focuses on incentivising and promoting sustainable delivery choices among online shoppers by providing sound and transparent information on e-commerce footprints and co-creating zero-emission logistics solutions for e-commerce. This research, conducted under these projects, explores both what drives consumer choices at checkout and which types of sustainability messaging actually motivate greener behaviours.

With millions of parcels shipped daily across Europe, the environmental impact of e-commerce deliveries—particularly in urban areas—has become significant. Consumer choices at checkout directly shape the logistics landscape. By understanding these choices, retailers and cities can reduce emissions, congestion, and resource consumption, ultimately steering the industry toward greener solutions.

How the Research Was Done

CodeZERO conducted a choice-based conjoint analysis with 10,000 shoppers across multiple countries and product types to understand which delivery attributes—price, speed, partner/ethics, and location—matter most.

GreenTurn complemented this with a survey of 5,000 consumers testing five sustainability messages, alongside interviews with major e-commerce platforms to identify operational barriers to offering and communicating green delivery options.

CodeZERO Findings: What Drives Consumers' Delivery Choices

• Delivery price is the most important factor when selecting delivery options, significantly outweighing other considerations.
• Ethical delivery partner choices (e.g., carbon-conscious logistics providers) rank second, while delivery location (home delivery or pick-up points) comes third.
• Delivery speed, tracking, and packaging are much less influential.

Top three factors overall:

1. Price
2. Delivery partner/ethics
3. Location

This underscores the importance of price-anchoring green delivery options and making sustainable choices cost-competitive.

Consumer Segments

CodeZERO identified four key shopper segments based on how they prioritise delivery factors:

• Price-sensitive (40%): Prioritise cost above all; will choose greener options only if cheaper or free.
• Home-delivery focused (15%): Value convenience of doorstep delivery above other factors.
• Service-oriented (23%): Balance price, speed, and location.
• Sustainability-driven (25%): Prioritise eco-friendly delivery partners, even at a higher cost or longer wait time.

These segments highlight the need for tailored green delivery strategies.

Will Consumers Switch to Greener Options?

CodeZERO scenario testing showed that:

• Price-sensitive consumers switch to green options only if cheaper.
• Sustainability-driven shoppers are open to paying more if environmental benefits are clear.
• Service-oriented consumers may accept slower or consolidated delivery if it is convenient and environmentally beneficial.

GreenTurn Findings: What Messages Motivate Greener Choices

Not all sustainability messages have the same impact. GreenTurn’s analysis found that the most effective messages:

• Explain the environmental benefit of the delivery choice, e.g., how it reduces emissions or congestion.
• Frame the impact locally, mentioning cleaner air or less traffic in the local area.
• Use relatable analogies, such as “trees saved” or “fewer trucks on the road.”

In contrast, percentage-based CO₂ reductions were less effective when presented alone. These findings suggest that clear, tangible, and locally framed messaging is essential to drive uptake of greener options.

Barriers to Offering Green Delivery

Both projects highlighted why many webshops still do not communicate green options effectively:

• Knowledge gaps: Retailers struggle to identify which delivery choices are genuinely greener in their context.
• Greenwashing concerns: Retailers are cautious about making misleading sustainability claims.
• Operational challenges: Logistics systems are often not designed to accommodate slower, consolidated delivery models.
• Practical Takeaways

For Retailers:

• From CodeZERO: Price-anchor green delivery options; offer green home-delivery variants.
• From GreenTurn: Pair sustainability badges with simple, clear explanations of the environmental benefits.

For Cities:

• Support parcel lockers or consolidation hubs to facilitate greener delivery.
• Work with retailers on common standards for credible green delivery claims.

For Policymakers:

• Provide clear guidance for transparent and trustworthy sustainability claims.
• Incentivise greener delivery options via regulation or funding.

Missed it? Watch the full webinar here.