Nearly two-thirds of UK shoppers are prepared to pay more for their groceries if they know the food they buy has been sustainably produced and distributed, according to new research by Citroën UK.
As part of a study of 2,000 UK motorists, Citroën found 65% would be willing to pay a premium for sustainably produced food, with a quarter willing to pay more than 10% extra. The research also found 61% of respondents would be more inclined to shop through food retailers that operated in an environmentally friendly way.
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Despite Covid-19 requiring people to stay indoors and to avoid contact with others, 57% still prefer to drive to the supermarket and shop for their food in person, while just over a quarter use online deliveries to receive their groceries.
The research comes as Citroën UK partners with a London-based food box company, Wild Radish, to help deliver food to customers across the Capital. Each box contains ingredients for a recipe put together by an ever-changing roster of top London chefs. The ingredients in each box are sourced from some of the UK’s most sustainable and local suppliers, and customers can even return the packaging for reuse to minimise waste. Wild Radish will also plant a tree for every new customer until 1 July, 2021.
The research found 45% of respondents would be more inclined to have their food shopping delivered if they knew the delivery would be conducted in an environmentally friendly way.
Citroën UK has provided Wild Radish with a new 100% electric ë-Dispatch 75kWh van to support deliveries for a whole month. Wild Radish estimates the ë-Dispatch will make over 400 deliveries in London during the loan period, covering an estimated 100+ miles each week.
New ë-Dispatch is available with a 50kWh or 75kWh battery offering up to 143 and 205 miles respectively from a single charge, under WLTP testing. With a maximum load volume of 6.6m3, thanks to the Moduwork® front passenger seat that allows longer items to be carried, and a load capacity of up to 1,002kg, it is an ideal solution for environmentally-conscious delivery fleets. All-electric ë-Dispatch van also supports up to 100kW rapid charging, with an 80% charge taking just 30 minutes on 50kWh versions and 45 minutes on 75kWh models. Its zero emissions credentials also ensure that new ë-Dispatch will remain exempt from congestion charge payments in the Capital, unlike plug-in hybrid vans that will lose their exemption from October 2021.
Eurig Druce, Citroën UK’s Managing Director, said: “This latest partnership between Citroën and Wild Radish provides a perfect synergy. Despite operating in very different industries, we both have a common goal, namely sustainable delivery solutions for our customers. New ë-Dispatch is the perfect tool for many businesses, not only does it provide zero emissions and outstanding carrying capabilities, it also provides extremely low running costs going forwards.”
James Bhardwaj, Co-Founder of Wild Radish, said: “We care deeply about building a sustainable future – whether it’s sourcing home compostable packaging or sourcing seasonal ingredients from small-scale farmers. This collaboration with Citroën UK is a great opportunity for us to further reduce our environmental impact and to determine whether it’s viable for us to have our own fleet of fully-electric vehicles delivering in London in the near future.
“Having spent the first week with the Citroën ë-Dispatch, we feel confident that we’ll be able to transition to fully-electric deliveries in the next 18 months.”
