Swedish fashion giant H&M, the second-largest fashion retailer in the world, has started to test bike delivery from its online store in the Netherlands. The project is implemented in partnership with the local courier service Fietskoeriers.nl and allows online store customers to receive their orders using entirely environmentally friendly delivery, without harming the environment.
“We want our logistics to be as energy-efficient as possible, as our goal is to become “climate-friendly” by 2040,” says H&M, noting that they are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and grow a carbon-neutral business.
Launched in partnership with Fietskoeriers, the service gives H&M customers the opportunity to receive products from the online store the day after ordering. Courier staff picks up goods from H&M’s main warehouse in the Netherlands using biofuel vehicles. At the last stage, delivery to customers is only made by bicycles.
“We are delighted to see a growing interest in sustainability among our customers and hope that they will enjoy this new, climate-friendly way of delivering their fashion finds to their homes,” said Pascal Brun, Head of H&M’s Sustainability Department. The company will analyze the reaction of consumers to the new service after the end of the pilot period and consider the possibility of using other environmentally friendly modes of transport to reduce the negative impact on the environment.
Over the past year, many major fashion retailers have become more active in implementing a number of environmental initiatives. In particular, the online store Zalando, which operates in 17 markets, announced that it is testing reusable packaging in Scandinavian countries. A Canadian shoe retailer has implemented a plan to phase out disposable plastic bags in favor of shoe boxes made of recycled cardboard.
H&M remains one of the leaders in implementing the sustainable development plan in the global fashion market. For many years now, the company has adhered to several eco-programs aimed at reducing the harmful impact of the fashion industry on the environment. H&M is gradually increasing the share of organic cotton in its production from responsible sources and is taking used clothes for recycling. In the autumn of 2019, the company also launched a subscription service for clothing rental in Sweden and a service to provide clothing rental in the stores of its subsidiary COS brand in China.
