The holiday season is upon us and that means cosiness, but also gift stress. Many followers and readers of thegreenlist.nl, who like sustainable Christmas shopping, struggle with the question: do I order my Christmas gifts online or buy them in shops? Buying online is nice and easy, but it also carries a stigma. Is it justified?
Online Christmas shopping: easy, but how sustainable is it?
In November and December, parcel deliverers are working overtime. It is so busy that longer delivery times are the rule rather than the exception. All those vans tearing across the country to deliver Christmas presents and groceries on time may not seem very sustainable. But then again... ordering online is of course very easy, and that makes it a dilemma: can you still feel good about shopping for gifts online during this period?
Christmas gift buying online, that last drive is quite efficient
Surprisingly, ordering online is often less stressful than you might think. Well, we mean that last trip (from shop or depot to your front door). The biggest environmental problem with transport occurs earlier. It happens during the long journey from the factory to a shop or warehouse in the Netherlands. Those are a lot of kilometres and emissions.
If you buy something from a Dutch webshop, chances are they will be ‘last mile’ - the journey from the depot to your front door - is more sustainable with a parcel deliverer than when you go to the shop by car yourself. Our parcel delivery vans are efficiently loaded and increasingly drive electric. So the last kilometres are indeed stressful, but less so than when you go out by yourself by car for one present. If you live close to town and can pick up your Christmas presents on foot or by bike, that is obviously a better choice.
Sustainable shopping for the holidays; both online and in-store, you can make more sustainable choices. Not only with the gift choice, but also with transport or delivery.
Sustainable Christmas shopping, packaging on online purchase is irritation
A big annoyance of online shopping, though, is often that extra packaging. Although with those boxes you fun DIY projects can do, it is unnecessary that things are often shipped in far too large packages. This takes up unnecessary space, allowing delivery drivers to carry fewer packages at a time. The result? More trips and higher emissions per parcel. In that respect, buying a gift in the shop and taking it home in your cloth bag is a lot better. But a shop also has other drawbacks. How about higher energy consumption for heating and lighting, but of course, as a buyer, you get a better experience in return. You can see, feel and try on products, and that prevents (hopefully) mis-purchases and returns. And let's be honest: shopping in an attractively decorated shop with Christmas music playing in the background is also just very cosy! If you choose to shop local, you also support small entrepreneurs, which gives your gift that extra bit of meaning.
What happens to a Christmas gift you return?
Say you buy a Christmas present online that turns out not to be what you hoped for. Then it has to be returned, but returns are a big problem in online shopping. Many people order too easily and too much, thinking: ‘If it's nothing, I'll return it for free’. This not only causes unnecessary parcel miles, but also waste. Many returned products are destroyed because it is too expensive to take everything back, check it and resell it. So think extra carefully before making an online purchase!
Sustainable Christmas shopping, here's how to do it!
Conclusion: it is too short-sighted to label online shopping as ‘bad’. Both online and on the high street, you can make more conscious choices. So you should not feel ashamed when the parcel deliverer delivers something to your doorstep. The important thing is how you shop. Buy less, choose more sustainable options and support local shops where you can walk, cycle or use public transport. Do you shop online? Then choose a Dutch webshop, have your parcel delivered to a collection point or make sure it can always be delivered to your door - for example in a parcel letterbox or with your neighbours. This way, the delivery driver does not have to travel unnecessary kilometres. Have fun giving presents!
More sustainable holiday tips
- Also useful info: all about wrapping paper and how to choose it more sustainably.
- Or take a different tack and wrap presents for the holidays completely zero waste.
- Have you thought about a more sustainable Christmas tree this year?
Sources: Niks Nieuws, Milieu Centraal, the German Umweltbundesamt on the climate impact of online and in-store purchases and tips for eco-conscious online shopping. Photo credits: main image: Karolina Grabowska (Pexels), box of stuff: Ketut Subiyanto (Pexels), department store: Pixabay (Pexels) gift wrapping: Cottonbro (Pexels).
