People who order goods online in Belgium will soon be given at least two delivery options, allowing them to opt for the 'most sustainable' choice.
When buying products online and deciding on the delivery method, customers will soon always be given the choice between having packages delivered to the door or making their own way to a vending machine or collection point, Federal Minister of Post and Public Enterprises Petra De Sutter said on Monday.
"This will allow people to choose for themselves which is the most environmentally-friendly option," De Sutter said, adding that she has been working on a policy for some time that would allow parcels to be delivered more sustainably.
"There have never been so many parcel vending machines in our country. In addition, the sustainable impact of the vending machines is being increased. Postal regulator BIPT will also be able to more easily force parcel market players to open their vending machines to each other if this contributes to sustainability."
The measure has already received initial approval from the Council of Ministers and has now been put before the Council of State. Once parliament gives the go-ahead, Economy Minister Pierre-Yves Dermagne will have the economic code amended to ensure this becomes the general rule for deliveries.
Greener fleet
Even though it will soon become the rule to offer customers at least two options for online deliveries, exceptions will remain possible: the rule will not yet apply for start-ups younger than three years, for example.
Belgian postal company Bpost is also calling on companies to offer different delivery options on its website. "Missed delivery times not only cause frustration, but also extra kilometres driven and thus more CO2 emissions. Even a successful home delivery has an additional CO2 impact."
For those who still want their parcels delivered to the door, Bpost has invested heavily in an eco-responsible fleet. In June, the postal company reached the symbolic milestone of 1,000 e-vans, while more than 600 e-vans are scheduled to arrive by the end of 2023.
