Brits willing to pay extra for greener delivery and returns

Almost three-quarters of Brits say they’d be willing to pay extra for environmentally-friendly e-commerce options, new data reveals.

According to a survey by returns management platform ReBound, 72 percent of Brits would pay extra to subsidise greener delivery and returns options, such as choosing more expensive carrier routes that generate lower carbon emissions rates.

As much as 82 percent of customers said they would always return their online purchases sustainably if retailers made the option available. This could range from the use of electric carrier vehicles or the option to return an overseas order in the same country rather than sending it abroad.

The survey of 1,000 shoppers also found that 75 percent intend to shop more with retailers that are making their delivery and returns processes more sustainable, and nearly two thirds (64 percent) said they are now more conscious of the environmental impact of shopping online since the outbreak of the pandemic.

“Shoppers are increasingly aware of the environmental impact of their own shopping habits and will reward brands that help them to minimise or offset this impact in 2021,” Rebound’s head of sustainability Emily Cotterill commented.

“There is a clear opportunity here for trailblazing brands to lead from the front with pioneering sustainability initiatives, educating their customers on the outcome of these initiatives and how much they cost. Brands that empower their customers to make sustainable choices will be rewarded with shopper loyalty.”

Rebound’s survey also revealed that shoppers like to see brands pursuing charitable causes. Nearly half (48 percent) said they would rather re-gift their return to charity than exchange the item for a refund if the option were available.

Additionally, three out of five (60 percent) believe excess stock should be donated to charity, compared to 35 percent who would like to see it recycled.

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