Milan
Each day approximately 155,000 deliveries due to online shopping are transported on Milan’s roads, accounting for 87% of the city’s total deliveries.
To account for this massive movement of goods, Milan is advancing its sustainable urban logistics with a comprehensive plan that includes strategically located logistics hubs and the development of an extensive cycling network.
Milan’s Agency for Mobility Environment and Territory (AMAT), So.De – Social Delivery, and IKEA Italy are working together to make these trips more sustainable. AMAT is dedicated to improving Milan’s urban environment by enhancing the efficiency of urban logistics to mitigate the effects of e-commerce deliveries. So.De stands out for its commitment to both environmental and social responsibility, providing fair contracts, equitable working conditions, adequate training, safety equipment, and favoring the employment of workers from vulnerable groups.
This partnership is partly inspired by IKEA’s goal to achieve 100% zero emissions for last-mile home deliveries by 2025. Milan is a frontrunner in this transition. Since August 2022, IKEA Italy has been collaborating with So.De to deliver light parcels, weighing under 20 kg, by cargo bikes in Milan.
Although these light parcels represent more than 50% of IKEA Italy’s total deliveries, this delivery option was not visible to customers when checking out online at the beginning of their collaboration with So.De. Instead, customers were only positively surprised to receive a leaflet detailing the environmental and social sustainability of the service included with the parcel upon its delivery. Today, cargo bike delivery is clearly displayed as an option and customer satisfaction monitoring is underway with the first promising results.
Currently, cargo bike deliveries depart from two hubs and reach every zip code in Milan. However, accessibility barriers, such as an incomplete cycling network and unsafe road conditions, hinder the full potential of cargo bike deliveries.
Objectives
Enhance the environmental and social sustainability of delivery solutions offered by IKEA Italy during the online purchase process and measure consumers’ choice behaviour.
Calculate the impacts of consumers’ choices in terms of e.g., CO2 emissions saved, reduction of km travelled, and buy in of social deliveries.
Identify barriers preventing the full exploitation of cycle logistics potential in the city and provide guidance for future work of AMAT and other local authorities in developing sustainable logistics solutions.
Find solutions to support small and medium businesses in the transition process towards sustainable and zero-emission distribution of goods, while also disseminating knowledge and raising awareness of the potential benefits of cycle logistics.
Promote So.De’s social deliveries values and model in Italian and European cities as an outstanding best practice.
Partners
