Can online-shopping achieve the goal of reducing CO2 emissions? Evidence from China

Online shopping is rapidly expanding, but assessing its carbon emissions impact across the entire supply chain and individual consumption is underdeveloped. This study introduces a framework using hierarchical cluster analysis, Life Cycle Assessment, and nested logit models to evaluate the environmental impact of online shopping. Combining online survey data and on-site supermarket survey data, it is found that the composition of shopping baskets influences shopping trip chain choice, whereas, for in-store shopping, the sizes of the baskets are associated with shopping trip lengths. Key contributors to online shopping emissions are transportation, packaging, and returns & exchanges. In contrast, in-store shopping emissions link to transportation, packaging, in-store operations. Shopping emissions primarily hinge on shopping baskets and shopping trip lengths. Total carbon emissions per consumer increase by 29 % for online shopping when shopping trip length to physical stores is under 2 km but decreases by 29 % and 50 % when it extends to 20 km and 40 km, respectively.