Green Grocery Solutions

Text by Sarah Poff

As someone who receives a plant-based meal plan delivery at their doorstep every weekday at eight in the morning, I can confess to having embraced the modern convenience of food delivery. On the infrequent occasion that I decide to prepare a meal myself, I now opt to order my groceries on an app too, daunted by the prospect of facing Bangkok’s traffic just to reach a supermarket.

It was all by coincidence that I learned that the e-commerce method of grocery shopping is actually considered climate-friendly, and associated with considerably lower carbon emissions than in-store shopping.

In a recent study, researchers assessed the greenhouse gas emissions linked to delivering a 36-item grocery order (the average size for online orders) from a supermarket to a customer’s home. They examined 72 distinct pathways and 28 last-mile transportation alternatives, such as 10 home delivery, six in-store options and 12 curbside pickup options. The study factored in emissions from transporting goods between locations (including refrigerated transport) and energy consumption for lighting, refrigeration and other operational needs in stores.

Their findings were clear — traditional grocery shopping with a gasoline vehicle has a significant climate impact. Both curbside pickup and grocery delivery result in lower emissions in comparison, with last-mile transportation being a critical factor in the overall carbon footprint. Grocery delivery is generally the most eco-friendly option because one vehicle can efficiently deliver to multiple households.

Opting for grocery delivery isn’t the sole solution; combining trips can also help decrease emissions, as demonstrated by the study’s example of visiting the store on the way home from work. Another alternative is to reduce the number of visits to the grocery store. By adopting these practices, we can all contribute to a more eco-friendly shopping experience.