Brits give thumbs up to greener delivery options

74% of UK shoppers would be happy to wait longer for goods if the delivery method was more sustainable, according to research by I-AM involving 2,000 people.

They would approve of deliveries by bicycles or ‘green cars’, while 65% would be happy with a drone or robot, rather than a person. 92% would also back greener options, but this figure drops to just 50% if it means higher costs.

The research also shows that 56% of people welcome an option to order restaurant food to public parks and spaces. A growing interest in the ‘take now pay later’ option by text or digital tab is also evident with 63% favouring this method, while 93% would like their delivery provider to offer return collections from home, and 41% of them would like to choose the time slot.

Meanwhile, 79% of consumers like new things, and are open to their new local store introducing them to new products through tastings or other trending items. 52% called for health and care services to become more convenient.

“Convenience services need to act more like concierge services, adding exclusivity as a key differentiator. By doing this, it is the first step in creating more initiatives that can tap into and connect with local communities, creating spaces for engagement and exploration,” says I-AM Group Partner Pete Champion.

“Convenience should be fast and seamless, but it doesn’t always have to take place at the same time. Introduce take now pay later schemes that are either technologically-powered or built on trust, so consumers will keep coming back, building loyalty in the meantime. With more digitally-enabled hyper-local formats popping up, consumers want retailers to give them the convenience of not having to work out what is good and what is not. Showing consumers offerings that both tell them that an item is trendy, good in quality and curating fresh, diverse and healthy product choices allow consumers to trust and learn more.”