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Green Turn

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Enabling stakeholder-centric zero emission e-commerce delivery and return practices through transparent and collaborative supply chains

GreenTurn helps consumers, retailers, logistics providers and public authorities make e-commerce deliveries and returns more sustainable by combining transparent environmental footprint information, behavioural interventions and zero-emission logistics solutions.

Project information

Status

Ongoing

Duration

August 2024 - July 2027 (36 months)

Project type

Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action

Grant Agreement Number

101147942

Call

HORIZON-CL5-2023-D6-01

ALICE Project Manager

Factsheet

Related ALICE Thematic Group
Related Community


Keywords

  • Sustainable e-commerce
  • Zero-emission logistics
  • Environmental footprint transparency

Keywords from Grant Agreement: e-commerce, consumer behaviour, return, packaging, sustainable, B2C 

Get involved

Knowledge Platform (CLEVER Repository)

Project overview

The rapid growth of e-commerce has transformed urban logistics and created new challenges for sustainability. While consumers can increasingly understand the environmental impact of personal mobility choices, they often receive little or no information about the environmental footprint of e-commerce deliveries and returns.

Green Turn addresses this gap by bringing together stakeholders from across the e-commerce ecosystem to design and validate solutions that make delivery and return choices more transparent, sustainable and socially responsible. The project combines behavioural science, digital communication strategies and innovative logistics solutions to encourage consumers to adopt greener delivery and return options.

By improving transparency and enabling informed choices, Green Turn aims to reduce emissions, support zero-emission urban logistics and help public authorities and businesses accelerate the transition towards more sustainable e-commerce supply chains across Europe.

Objectives and expected outcomes

Objectives

01

Develop transparent and reliable methods for communicating the environmental and social impacts of e-commerce deliveries and returns.

02

Understand stakeholder needs, customer journeys and consumer behaviour in e-commerce.

03

Design and test behavioural interventions such as incentives, nudges and gamification.

04

Co-create sustainable delivery and return solutions with consumers, retailers, logistics providers and public authorities.

05

Enable large-scale adoption of zero-emission delivery and return practices.

06

Support evidence-based policymaking and sustainable urban logistics planning.

Expected results

01

Improved transparency on e-commerce delivery and return footprints.

02

Consumer-focused tools encouraging sustainable purchasing and delivery choices.

03

New business models and operational approaches for low and zero-emission logistics.

04

Guidance for logistics service providers to scale sustainable delivery solutions.

05

Best-practice recommendations for retailers.

06

Policy recommendations and tools for local, national and European authorities.

07

An observatory and knowledge-sharing platform focused on sustainable e-commerce logistics.

GreenTurn roll-up

Pilots and validation

GreenTurn will validate its solutions through five large-scale pilots across five European cities.

PILOT 01

Fashion Eco-route in Poznan, Poland

Focused on the fashion and clothing market, this B2C pilot explores more sustainable e-commerce delivery models, including zero-emission logistics and reusable packaging. It brings together a logistics service provider, a fashion retailer, consumers and the local authority.

PILOT 02

Green Button in Zaragoza, Spain

Focused on fresh produce, fashion and clothing, and local services, this G2B2C pilot explores a public authority-led approach to e-commerce logistics, bringing together the local authority, retailers, logistics service providers and consumers. It addresses the consolidation of urban deliveries, including temperature-controlled e-commerce flows, while also considering social inclusion and providing practical input for tools supporting local authorities.

PILOT 03

SustainSwap in Lyon, France & Poznan, Poland

Focused on re-commerce and second-hand goods, including clothing, sportswear, accessories, homeware, books, games and toys, this C2C pilot explores how logistics can support circular economy models. Implementation in Lyon and Poznan enables comparison between different markets and local contexts, while facilitating the exchange of best practices between local authorities.

PILOT 04

ElectroSmart in Athens, Greece

Focused on the electronics market, this B2C pilot explores omnichannel approaches to consumer engagement, including data visualisation, quick commerce and same-day delivery, physical store pick-ups and social commerce. It also works with the local authority to explore policy measures that can support more sustainable e-commerce and delivery practices.

PILOT 05

LogPOINT in Vienna, Austria

Focused on food and beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, and home furnishings, this B2C and B2B pilot involves a marketplace provider, retailers, logistics service providers and consumers. It explores reusable packaging and the use of a consolidation hub, while fostering close collaboration between retailers and logistics operators.

Validation approach

The project combines:

01 Diverse geographical and cultural pilots.
02 Digital modelling and simulation environments.
03 Impact assessments covering environmental, economic and social sustainability.
04 Replicability and transferability assessments to support wider European adoption.

Through advanced logistics systems (such as consolidation hubs, reusable packaging, and electric vehicles), GreenTurn's pilots aim to offer, on average, 82% of delivery and return options as zero-emission alternatives.

Innovative solutions

Zero-emission grocery home delivery service – Lyon

Zero-emission delivery to PUDO network – Lyon

Reusable packaging for e-commerce – Lyon

Electric Urban Distribution – Athens

Shared Low-Emission Market Deliveries – Zaragoza

ALICE's role

ALICE plays a significant role in GreenTurn by ensuring strong engagement with industry stakeholders, policymakers and the wider European logistics community.

ALICE contributes to:

  • Stakeholder engagement and community building.
  • Validation of stakeholder needs and project results for user-centric and effective solutions.
  • Analysis of business models and exploitation opportunities.
  • Dissemination and communication activities.
  • Policy alignment with European initiatives and regulations.
  • Knowledge transfer and transferability of project outcomes.
  • Development of exploitation strategies and routes to market for scalability and replication of solutions across Europe.
  • Creation of synergies with related European projects and initiatives.

ALICE also supports the implementation of the POLIS–ALICE Joint Guide on Zero-Emission Urban Logistics, which identified consumer engagement as one of five key intervention areas for accelerating the transition to sustainable urban logistics.

Related ALICE activities

Project consortium

Coordinator

Łukasiewicz Research Network – Poznań Institute of Technology (L-PIT), Poland

Project partners

Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (RUG), Chalmers Tekniska Högskola AB (CHA), Universiteit Antwerpen (UANT), University of the Aegean (UAEG), Bax Innovation Consulting SL (BAX), Econ Consulting Revisionsgesellschaft mbH (ECON), InPost Sp. z o.o. (INPO), Loginet Logistics Services GmbH (LOGIP), Logika Apothikefsis Emporevmaton Monoprosopi Etaireia Periorismenis Efthinis (LOK), Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza (ZGZ), Fundación Zaragoza Ciudad del Conocimiento (FZC), Miasto Poznań (POZ).

Łukasiewicz Research Network – Poznań Institute of Technology
University of Groningen
University of Antwerp
Bax Innovation Consulting
Chalmers University of Technology

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EU Funded

EU funding

GreenTurn has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101147942. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.