Environmental impact of express food delivery in China: the role of personal consumption choice

Jingyi Xie (), Yan Xu () and Haixiao Li ()
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Jingyi Xie: Nankai University
Yan Xu: Université Laval
Haixiao Li: Nankai University

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2021, vol. 23, issue 6, No 8, 8234-8251

Abstract: Abstract The online food ordering business in China is developing rapidly in recent years with considerable environmental impacts. However, the impacts caused by the express food delivery and the differences between the regions with different economic levels have seldom been quantified. Changing personal consumption behavior might help to reduce such impacts. But to what extent personal consumption changing could alter the environmental impacts caused by express food delivery remained uncertain. Thus, we have conducted a quantitative study based on the data collected from a 45-persons survey to determine the environmental impacts caused by the express food delivery in the different regions of China. Additionally, the reducible environmental impacts were estimated by establishing a scenario of personal consumption behavior changing. The results showed that each express food delivery order would generate 111.80 g CO2 emission equivalent on average. Most (86%) of the CO2 equivalent of the express food delivery came from the food packages. Compared to the orders in the second-class and third-class cities, the orders in the first-class cities had a significantly higher CO2 equivalent due to the greater use of food packages. The results also demonstrated that by walking to take the food in the restaurants nearby (

Keywords: Food delivery transport; Food package; CO2 equivalent; Consumption behavior; Happiness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1007/s10668-020-00961-1

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