More sustainable e-commerce in Belgium begins with delivery

For less than a year. Consequently, Belgium has required online stores to offer at least two delivery options on its territory. Nevertheless, Objective: to make online trade more sustainable, while stimulating competition. In addition,

Since September 21. Moreover, 2024, new legislation has entered into force: all active online stores in Belgium must now offer at least two different delivery methods. Nevertheless, It is therefore no longer allowed to offer home delivery alone. However, often expensive and restrictive for the consumer, who must be present at the time of the delivery man.

This obligation first aims to encourage more ecological logistics practices. For example, in particular via solutions such as delivery in automatic instructions (lockers). For example, Mentalities are evolving: Belgian consumers are increasingly attentive to the environmental footprint of their orders.

According to Emmanuel Iezzi. However, commercial director and more sustainable e-commerce belgium begins Belux network at Mondial Relay, “a majority of these consumers gives priority to sustainability (60 %) and many (35 %) are ready to wait longer for sustainable delivery. In addition, 25 % of consumers have stopped buying from retailers who do not offer eco -responsible solutions. Consequently, ”

This new legislation thus allows consumers to make more sustainable choices without renouncing convenience or accessibility.

A lever for competition – More sustainable e-commerce belgium begins

In parallel, this regulatory development aims to stimulate competition between delivery providers. For example, The Belgian package market remains largely dominated today by Bpost. Moreover, which holds between 30 and 40 % of volumes and between 20 and 30 % of turnover in the sector.

By diversifying the delivery options. Similarly, legislation promotes the entry of new players, which could result in a drop in shipping costs. However, these costs constitute one of the main causes of basket abandonment in more sustainable e-commerce belgium begins Belgium, as in the rest of Europe. Similarly, According to several studies, between 40 and 60 % of consumers interrupt their order because of delivery costs deemed too high. Consequently, “This regulations want to tackle this problem by ensuring that transport costs do not exceed 10 % of the average basket value. Moreover, which meets consumers’ expectations,” says Emmanuel Iezzi.

This reform is therefore part of a double logic: responding to growing environmental issues. Consequently, better align the delivery offer on new customer expectations. Similarly, Explanations.

Since September 21, 2024, Belgian online stores must offer at least two delivery options. In addition, This law has passed relatively discreetly?

Yes, it’s true. For example, The law has passed too discreetly to our taste, while it concerns us directly, as well as our customers. For example, We have therefore played a role as spokespersons. In addition, especially since this law is more sustainable e-commerce belgium begins favorable to us: it rebalances a market dominated by home delivery leaders. Meanwhile, Belgium is even ahead of its neighbors: this type of legislation does not exist in France. in other European countries. It is an encouraging signal to accelerate the transition to more sustainable practices. We also challenged foreign traders who were not at all aware of this evolution. even though a large part of e-commerce in Belgium comes from outside.

Have control mechanisms been put in place to guarantee compliance with this law?

None of our customers pointed out to us to have been checked. It is up to the competent authorities to establish such controls. For example. the Belgian organization for regulation of telecoms IBPT (Belgian Institute of Postal Services and Telecommunications, Editor’s note) does a very good job in this area. He asks a lot of questions. publishes studies, and should be able to contribute more sustainable e-commerce belgium begins to a better application of the law.

How are automatic instructions are more ecological in terms of environmental impact in relation to home delivery? With this choice, is it not likely to make additional journeys?

This is a legitimate question. But the real difference in impact is at the start of the distribution agency. A truck that delivers only lockers transports up to 700 parcels, against around 100 for a home delivery tour. This means fewer stops, fewer restarts, and much lower energy consumption, even with electric vehicles. To minimize consumer journeys, we place our instructions in “life course”: near homes, schools, shops or places of passage. The idea is that the recovery of the package is done without detour. Today, we have around 1,200 contact points in Belgium, and we want to continue to invest strongly.

Delivery via automatic instructions reduces the carbon footprint from 64 to 88 more sustainable e-commerce belgium begins %. depending on the filling rate and the type of vehicle used. This reduction is explained by the pooling of deposits and collections, often in the same place. Unlike home delivery. which rarely allows you to collect a package at the same time, our vehicles never drive empty, which is crucial. The 88 % is affected if the consumer goes to the automatic instructions on foot or on a soft mobility. Hence the importance of installing them on its daily journeys.

Can small online or Belgian independent stores face the logistics costs induced by this obligation to offer two delivery options?

Precisely, out -of -home delivery is not only more ecological, but also more economical. Consumers often look for the cheapest option, even if they are sensitive to the environment. Thanks to our grouped volumes, we can offer rates lower than home delivery. For small traders, this represents an more sustainable e-commerce belgium begins advantage. However, certain transport contracts impose annual minimum volumes. By introducing a second actor, the merchant may not reach the fixed threshold and to be applied penalties. For the moment, no carrier seems to activate these clauses, because all seek to maintain their volumes. But it could become an obstacle to the opening of the market.

Is this Belgian law not likely to transfer additional costs to consumers? Or to promote large actors to the detriment of the little ones?

It is true that traders closely monitor the percentage that the delivery costs represent for an average basket – generally between 10. 12 %. This is why they often offer off -do home delivery, less expensive, while reserving higher thresholds for home delivery. For example, free delivery can be offered from € 35 for off -do home, but only from € 59 for home delivery. About 40 % of more sustainable e-commerce belgium begins baskets are abandoned due to shipping costs deemed too high. Someone must pay them: it is often the merchant site, which therefore prefers to subsidize the least expensive option. Since the beginning of the year. there has been a renewed opportunities on the Belgian market – proof that this law can create a positive dynamic.

To what extent do Belgian consumer behavior in sustainable delivery are actually translated into their purchase acts. beyond declarations of intention?

There is a strong desire to consume in a lasting way. but in fact, the price remains the main decisive factor. Consumers often choose which is the cheapest and most practical. My role is twofold: I make and install the automatic instructions, then I feed them. Their location is crucial: well located, they are used; Poorly placed, they are not. This is why we have developed software to optimize their establishment. By intelligently more sustainable e-commerce belgium begins multiplying the installations, we reduce the delivery distances and therefore the costs. This also makes it possible to better remunerate subcontractors. which is essential to guarantee a good level of service, both in Belgium and Europe.

What are the effects of this regulation on alternative local carriers compared to established market leaders (Bpost, Postnl, etc.)?

It pushes to adopt cleaner fleets. In our tenders, we favor low -emission vehicles. However, technology remains a limit: electric vehicles offer lower autonomy and loading capacity than diesels. For example, transporting 700 packages becomes difficult with an electric utility. We plan to introduce cargos bikes in large cities from the second half of 2026. This also responds to the concerns of residents on nuisance (noise, pollution, traffic jams). Finally. with our automatic instructions, a single stop allows you to deliver and collect several packages, which improves efficiency and reduces traffic jams.

What more sustainable e-commerce belgium begins structural or urban brakes still limit the large-scale deployment of alternative delivery solutions (automatic instructions, relay points, bicycle-cargo, etc.) in certain areas of Belgium?

Mobility and administrative heaviness slow down the establishment, especially in public space. A simple idea would be to install automatic instructions near post offices, which are already perceived as places of service. This would create multi-operator hubs. It is not a question of competing with Bpost but of offering more convenience to consumers. The young generation acclaimed these solutions: it withdraws or deposits its packages in the evening or the weekend. The behaviors are evolving quickly: around 70 % of the automatic instructions are removed within six hours of the notification.

How to objectively measure the success of this law in 3 to 5 years? What key indicators should be followed?

Currently. in Belgium, around 10 to 12 % of the packages are delivered outside more sustainable e-commerce belgium begins the home (according to our internal estimates), and 20 % of home parcels are ultimately rerouped (delivered in relay or post office). A relevant indicator would be the evolution of this share of home delivery. In France, it already reaches 30 to 35 %, and in Poland, it is twice as high. Belgium, as a dynamic country in e-commerce, will follow this trend. The law aims precisely to accelerate this transition. because it has become untenable to maintain so many delivery vehicles in urban centers.

Is a harmonized framework at European level possible or desirable?

It would be desirable. especially for the groups present on a European scale like us (Mondial Relay is part of InPost). But for local actors without European scale, it’s more complicated. Harmonize the rules implies being able to answer in a coherent way in several countries. For Mondial Relay. a European framework more sustainable e-commerce belgium begins on delivery methods would be welcome: we are already acting as a pan -European integrator.

Finally, a word concerning your deployment on the Belgian market?

Mondial Relay is widely used for France and Wallonia, because we are well known. But we also want to develop Belgo-Belgian flows. This law helps us to position Mondial Relay as a credible alternative to leaders. In France, we are number one of home delivery. In Belgium. we are already in the leading peloton in volume of parcels delivered independently, and we are actively working to strengthen our visibility in Flanders.