Exploring Last-Mile Delivery Innovations in Belgium

At Landmark Global, we like to see ourselves as pioneers, introducing new, innovative solutions to optimise logistics and make them more business- and customer-friendly. In this article, we wish to explore the eco-friendly last-mile delivery opportunities and solutions in Belgium that were found and introduced by bpostgroup – a global e-commerce group that we are a part of. Did we spark your interest? Then read on!

Last Mile Delivery Innovations by bpost Belgium

What is last-mile delivery? It’s the final step of shipping your products, the ground transportation of your parcel from a hub to its final destination. This process generates a major part of the overall shipping costs when it comes to cross-border trade, hence finding ways to optimise it is a priority. Especially since it also helps build more sustainable delivery chains.

As a part of the bpostgroup, we can proudly say that we utilise many innovative solutions ourselves. So, let’s focus on the latest breakthrough ideas that were put into life, how they impact last-mile delivery and create new opportunities.

Focusing on the PUDO Points

Let’s start with the Pick Up Drop Off (PUDO) points – locations where customer can collect their parcels or leave their returns. Why are these so important?

• They are convenient – PUDO points build customer satisfaction, especially in large urban areas where the everyday hassle makes them the most convenient place to grab or leave a parcel.

• They are reliable – Customers don’t need to be present when the package arrives at a PUDO point, which eliminates the need to visit a particular location twice with the same package and enables customers to grab their goods whenever they’re comfortable with it.

• They are sustainable – When customers opt for PUDO points, the courier does not have to deliver packages directly to each customer’s house, reducing the mile coverage and hence burning less fossil fuels.

With these benefits in mind, we are proud to say that we are using over 70,000 PUDOs all over Europe. If you want to learn more about them, read our article about optimising e-commerce with PUDO.

Electric Vehicles

Sustainable vans are an important part of building an eco-friendly logistics chain. Therefore, we’re proud to announce that bpost Belgium, which is also part of the bpostgroup, has reached the number of 1,000 e-vans in 2023!

At this moment, over 40% of the fleet used for last-mile delivery in Belgium is eco-responsible. This proves that, despite the doubts and concerns, it is possible to provide reliable delivery services using electric vehicles, so we expect this innovation to pave the way for others and encourage the use of sustainable ground transportation.

Ecozones

When mentioning electric vehicles, we need to follow up with ecozones – a group-level investment that Landmark Global is a part of as well. These are special areas in urban centres that contain a wide network of PUDO points and are covered only by electric vehicles. This way, all the deliveries in these zones are 100% carbon-neutral.

Ecozones are important not only for the logistics sector but also for local governments. They prove that with the right approach and innovative ideas, it is possible to reduce carbon emissions significantly, even in highly urbanised areas.

Swapping

Sometimes, even a small change might have a large impact, and swapping depicts that perfectly. Through our partnership with bpost, we have introduced this concept in Belgium, and it has proven effective ever since.

What is swapping in last-mile delivery? It’s a simple concept: the customer, while picking up their package, can immediately return a different one. As a result, the courier does not have to drive to the customer’s pick-up location just to get one parcel from them, which translates into decreased returns management services cost and lower carbon emissions. It’s a win-win.

Collecting Electric Devices

And since we are on the topic of small but significant changes, we must not forget one another last-mile delivery innovation by bpost – accepting small electronics during the deliveries. Why is it so important?

While it does not decrease the overall delivery costs, it actively reduces the number of electronic waste that could be thrown away without proper segregation, hence polluting the ground. According to Statista, small equipment constitutes the biggest percentage of electronic waste overall, so actively collecting and sorting it later on makes a huge difference for our planet.

How did bpost achieve this? By engaging in a partnership with Recupel, a non-profit organisation handling the recycling of electrical appliances.

The Takeaway

As you can see, the bpostgroup, with bpost Belgium and Landmark Global being a part of it, actively comes up with new solutions to utilise last-mile delivery opportunities and increase sustainability while reducing delivery costs. By working with us, you opt for these innovations, and can harvest the benefits that they come with!

You might also read: Green and Efficient Parcel Delivery to Belgium: Sustainable Solutions by Landmark Global and bpost