06 Dec 2023
Scaling food, grocery and parcel delivery to zero-carbon
- Media release -
Scaling food, grocery and parcel delivery to zero-carbon
Global consumer internet group Prosus and Naspers launch report on “Electrifying progress: scaling zero-carbon deliveries of food, groceries, and parcels” at COP28 today.
6 December 2023 | In an era marked by growing concerns over carbon emissions, climate change, air pollution and urbanisation, society is grappling to reconcile consumer convenience with environmental responsibility. The food, grocery and etail delivery sectors find themselves at the heart of this challenge. Prosus, Naspers, and its delivery platforms - who deliver 275 million food and grocery orders per month with 2 million drivers - Takealot, iFood, eMag, Swiggy, Flink, Delivery Hero (including Talabat and Glovo) and Oda are joining hands in addressing this issue head-on.
The report sheds light on the barriers to scaling electric vehicle adoption as well as the initiatives, insights, and best practices of successful delivery platforms. It also highlights that, beyond sustainability objectives, scaling electrification can yield substantial economic savings, as electric vehicles have reduced per-kilometre consumption, lower operational costs, and offer protection against volatile fuel prices.
Key delivery statistics:
· Up to 50% of carbon emissions associated with delivery can be traced back to the last-mile phase.
· Without intervention, we can expect global last-mile delivery demand to increase by 78% by 2030, a 36% rise in the number of delivery vehicles in the world’s top 100 cities, increasing emissions by 32%.
Creating the enabling conditions for scaling zero emissions deliveries requires collaboration across the value chain, with a key role for policy and finance to step in and support the transition.
Roger Rabalais, CEO of Food Delivery at Naspers & Prosus: “This report underlines the pioneering work of our companies in food delivery and etail to scale electric vehicles in their deliveries, decarbonise their operations, and contribute to building a clean and resilient mobility sector. Our report captures the valuable learnings and insights of many of our portfolio companies. It marks our commitment to scale zero emissions deliveries, for which we need all players in the transport sector to join. We call particularly on financiers and policymakers to help transform how we transport food, groceries, and parcels.”
Fabricio Bloisi, CEO of iFood: “At iFood, we strongly believe that the best companies need to excel in innovation, growth, and profitability, but also generate a positive impact on the environment and society through education and inclusion. We recognise the pressing need to advance electric vehicles and zero-emissions deliveries. This report illuminates the transformative power of technology in food, grocery, and e-commerce, presenting a roadmap for change and exceptional case studies. At iFood, our commitment extends beyond efficiency – it’s a pledge for climate justice, ensuring our journey towards sustainability is equitable, leaving no one behind, and fostering a world where all share environmental benefits.”
You can download the report here.
About Naspers
Established in 1915, Naspers has transformed itself to become a global consumer internet company and one of the largest technology investors in the world. Through Prosus, the group operates and invests globally in markets with long-term growth potential, building leading consumer internet companies that empower people and enrich communities. Prosus has its primary listing on Euronext Amsterdam, and a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and Naspers is the majority owner of Prosus.
In South Africa, Naspers is one of the foremost investors in the technology sector and is committed to building its internet and ecommerce companies. These include Takealot, Mr D Food, Superbalist, Autotrader, Property24 and PayU, in addition to Media24, South Africa’s leading print and digital media business.
Naspers has a primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (NPN.SJ), a secondary listing on the A2X Exchange (NPN.AJ) in South Africa, and has a level 1 American Depository Receipt (ADR) programme which trades on an over-the-counter basis in the United States of America.
For more information, please visit www.naspers.com.
Naspers Labs
In 2019, Naspers Labs, a youth development programme designed to transform and launch South Africa’s unemployed youth into economic activity, was launched. Naspers Labs focuses on digital skills and training, enabling young people to pursue tech careers.
Response to COVID-19
Naspers contributed R1.5 billion of emergency aid to support the South African government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This contribution consisted of R500 million towards the Solidarity Fund and R1 billion worth of PPE sourced and distributed to South Africa’s front-line healthcare workers. In addition, Naspers contributed R6.9 million to the Nelson Mandela Foundation's EachOne FeedOne programme to support families who COVID-19 has impacted with meals for a year.