Carbon footprint
assessment of retail is necessary to optimize
procurement strategies and adopt sustainable shopping habits. However,
estimating carbon footprints is a complex task, given the diversity
of existing distribution channels. Average values for carbon emissions
of “conventional” retail (i.e., purchasing and receiving
the product directly at the physical point of sale) found in most
studies mask a heterogeneous reality: different retail strategies
entail diverse shopping behavior for consumers, as well as varied
procurement processes for outlets. In this paper, we propose a methodology
to assess greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts of different distribution systems
related to the consumption of goods in the Paris Region by coupling
traditional transport modeling with a life-cycle assessment (LCA)
approach. We model and compare six distribution systems, including
five traditional retail formats (hypermarkets, supermarkets, small
generalist retail, small food retail, and small nonfood retail) and
E-commerce home deliveries. Our model includes warehouse activity,
shop and home delivery, shop energy consumption, consumer mobility,
and goods packaging. Overall, we conclude that E-commerce emits fewer
GHG emissions than retail outlets per kilogram of product purchased.
This result is in line with the existing literature on the topic.
However, the carbon footprint varies greatly within the case study
depending on the characteristics of the logistics procurement processes
of outlets, the behavior of shoppers, and spatial characteristics.