E-commerce: the retailers committing to reduce their environmental impact

On March 14, 2022, 18 new e-commerce retailers joined the signatories of the charter of commitments to reduce the environmental impact of online retail.

In this article, discover this charter, the commitments it supports and the companies that have signed it!

What is the charter of commitments to reduce the environmental impact of online retail?

Created in July 2021, the charter of commitments to reduce the environmental impact of e-commerce was signed by the French Ministry for the Ecological Transition, FEVAD (the French e-commerce and distance selling federation) and 14 major online retailers.

The origins of the charter

As its name suggests, this charter aims to reduce the environmental impact of e-commerce. It dates back to the health crisis: during lockdown, French consumers turned massively to online retailers, since physical stores were closed.
The e-commerce market therefore experienced huge and rapid growth, becoming an ever larger part of French consumption habits.

Although online sales were a way to keep supplies flowing and maintain economic activity during lockdown, this rapid and intensive growth also made more environmentally responsible development all the more urgent, given the environmental impact of this new way of consuming.

The environmental impact of e-commerce

It is difficult to calculate the total carbon footprint of an e-commerce sale, as it spans several areas of activity: digital technology (responsible for 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions), logistics and transport. On top of all this, we must add the CO2 emitted by manufacturing and production.

Although we cannot calculate the total amount of GHG emitted, we can see that e-commerce has a significant negative impact on the environment.

To address the concerns of French consumers and the objectives discussed at the Citizens' Convention for Climate (Convention Citoyenne pour le Climat), the French government introduced the charter of commitments to reduce the environmental impact of online retail. The charter is therefore a list of voluntary commitments made by logistics and e-commerce companies.

‍The commitments of the charter

The charter of commitments to reduce the environmental impact of online retail is divided into 4 main parts.

Consumer information

The aim is to inform and raise awareness among consumers and make them aware of their role as agents of change. This is sometimes called being a "consum'actor".
This first part of the charter consists of various awareness-raising and information methods:

-       Providing information on the impact of delivery and offering several delivery options based on their environmental impact (from January 1, 2023).

-       Encouraging fewer returns (by giving more information about products and sizes, and by not encouraging consumers to order several items...)

-       Reminding consumers of sorting and reuse guidelines to encourage the right habits

-       Enabling consumers to identify the products with the best environmental impact based on the following criteria: place of production and shipping, repairability index, refurbishment or environmental performance label.

Reducing packaging

As with other producers of non-recyclable single-use plastic, the e-commerce players that have signed the charter are committed to reducing packaging and promoting reuse. The charter sets a target of reducing packaging by at least 75% by the end of 2024 and using recyclable and recycled materials.

Logistics (warehousing and delivery)

The signatories of the charter are committed to responsible logistics. This means ensuring the environmental performance of storage buildings, favoring low-carbon deliveries and grouping products into a single shipment for the same consumer.

Monitoring the commitments

Signatories must demonstrate the practices they have put in place and the results achieved in meeting the 3 commitments above, which will then be published by the French government.

‍The e-commerce companies committed to reducing their environmental impact

When the charter of commitments to reduce the environmental impact of online retail was created, 14 retailers signed up: Cdiscount, Ebay, Fnac-Darty, La Redoute, Maisons du Monde, Millet Mountain Group, Sensee, Otelo, Rakuten France SAS, GroupeRosa, Sarenza, Showroomprivé, SOS accessoire and Veepee.

In 2022, 18 new retailers joined the signatories: Afibel, Agrizone, Blancheporte, Boulanger, Damart, E.Leclerc, Electro Dépôt, Fleurance Nature, FM Logistic, Kadolis, Leroy Merlin, Manutan, Mondial Relay, Quel Bon Plan, Sédagyl, Tikamoon, Topaz and Vitrine Magique.

‍Reducing your organization's online consumption impact

As individuals, it is important to show our interest in retailers that make commitments by choosing them and encouraging their good practices. We are all "consum'actors" too, and we have the power to change things by consuming better and less.

As an organization, you have the power to influence your employees' behavior and thus help reduce your company's environmental impact.

To accelerate your company's ecological transition and implement a comprehensive, effective CSR strategy, get expert support! Leasetic helps you find the most relevant solutions for your organization, whether in getting the most value from your IT fleet, your real estate or your financing. The goal is twofold: improve your environmental impact while reducing your costs!

Contact one of our experts now to discuss it

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