Sustainable Consumption Practices in Express Delivery Systems

The rapid expansion of express delivery services, driven by online retail and food‐delivery platforms, has led to mounting concerns over resource depletion, packaging waste and transport-related emissions. Sustainable consumption practices in this sector encompass strategies at multiple levels: consumers adopting reusable or shared packaging, logistics operators refining routing and load consolidation, policymakers introducing carbon pricing and incentives for low-emission vehicles, and manufacturers redesigning materials for recyclability or biodegradability. Technological advances—such as real-time tracking, automated sorting and digital deposit–return schemes—facilitate closed-loop systems that reintegrate packaging into circular networks. Equally important are behavioural interventions: consumer education on sorting and reuse, reward systems for returns, and social-norm campaigns that raise environmental awareness. Globally, these interventions have delivered measurable reductions in greenhouse-gas output and packaging waste, while also offering economic benefits through cost savings in materials and fuel. Integration of policy levers, industry innovation and consumer engagement illustrates a pragmatic pathway towards decarbonised, circular express delivery systems.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have quantified the carbon footprint of booming express delivery sectors and identified pathways to deep decarbonisation. One analysis projects delivery-related greenhouse-gas emissions rising sharply without intervention, but shows that measures such as reduced delivery speed, fleet electrification, packaging-material reduction, logistics optimisation and carbon pricing could mitigate over 100 MtCO₂e by 2035. Another investigation, using an expanded Theory of Planned Behaviour framework, demonstrates that consumers’ perceived pollution risk of takeaway packaging exerts a significant negative influence on their purchase intentions by undermining attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control; it further reveals that educational attainment moderates these effects, offering insights for targeted awareness campaigns and package redesign efforts.

Sustainable Consumption Practices in Express Delivery Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in sustainable consumption practices in express delivery systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

GHG emissions: Greenhouse-gas emissions generated by transport operations and packaging life cycles, typically measured in CO₂-equivalent units.

Circular packaging: A design and operational approach whereby packaging is recovered, cleaned and reused or fully recycled to minimise resource extraction and waste.

Theory of Planned Behaviour: A behavioural model linking individual attitudes, perceived social norms and perceived behavioural control to the intention to perform pro-environmental actions.

Carbon pricing: An economic instrument that assigns a cost to carbon emissions, incentivising lower-emission technologies and operational practices.

References

1. Low-carbon pathways for the booming express delivery sector in China. Nature Communications (2021).
2. The impact of perceived risk of online takeout packaging and the moderating role of educational level. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2023).
3. Exploring young consumers’ intention to pay for shared express packaging: A multi-study analysis. Journal of Business Research (2023).
4. Research on the Design of and Preference for Collection Modes of Reusable Takeaway Containers to Promote Sustainable Consumption. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2020).
5. Consumer Cognition and Management Perspective on Express Packaging Pollution. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2022).