what’s greener?
What’s greener? Online vs in-store shopping
Green Ideas editorial team
Online
Items bought over the internet from overseas stores are typically sent to you by airfreight, which creates more emissions than sending freight by sea. A ton of airfreight releases 0.69kg of CO2 every kilometre.
Flying a 1kg package from the US to New Zealand will produce 9kg of CO2.
A package that is flown to New Zealand is typically then delivered by courier van or post. Couriers make multiple stops and choose the most efficient route possible.
A 1kg package is responsible for just 0.2kg of CO2 emissions on a 20km delivery trip – which is much more efficient than driving your car to buy an item.
The total carbon cost for a 1kg package from the US? 9.2kg
Packaging for posted items creates waste that is often non-recyclable.
Online stores often use warehouses with basic lighting, heating and no windows, carpets or elaborate fittings – meaning their carbon footprint is relatively low.
In-store
Items bought in physical stores are usually imported in bulk, by ship. Seafreight releases less CO2 than airfreight – each ton shipped releases 0.025kg of CO2 per kilometre.
Shipping a 1kg package from the US to NZ will produce 0.35kg of CO2. Items bought in physical stores arrive here by boat, but are then typically purchased by shoppers who travel in cars. Driving 20km to buy a 1kg item produces 4.6 kg CO2 – much more CO2 than a courier van produces.
The total carbon cost for a 1kg item from the US? 4.95kg
Retailers have elaborately fitted-out shops with heating, lighting, and facilities for staff that require more energy to run and set up.
Cycling, walking or taking public transport (like a train) to the shops makes buying in-store even more efficient. So does buying lots of items on a single trip.
What’s best?
- Shopping in-store is greener than ordering online, if the goods come from overseas.
- But when buying New Zealand-made goods, shopping online is better.
- Walking or cycling to the shops or a market is the greenest way to go!