Gnewt by Menzies Distribution is set to deliver its 500,000th parcel for ASOS through a pioneering delivery program that lets customers have their purchase sent to their home via an all-electric van and human porter delivery service.
The partnership between ASOS and Gnewt by Menzies Distribution has so far saved more than 80 metric tons of CO₂ compared with standard delivery vans.
The milestone comes on the day when London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone launches (April 8, 2019), marking a fresh boost for low- and zero-emission transportation and deliveries in the capital, and creating a blue-print that Gnewt believes is likely to be replicated in other UK cities.
Gnewt by Menzies Distribution delivers ASOS orders using its all-electric van fleet in combination with its pedestrian ‘porters’. The parcels are bulk-delivered by Menzies Distribution from ASOS’s warehouse in Barnsley to the Gnewt hub in Bow, East London. The individual deliveries in London are then made from the Bow hub using electric vans and human porters, with Gnewt now delivering in excess of 4,000 parcels per day.
ASOS customers within the central London Congestion Zone are automatically serviced by this eco-friendly delivery service as well as benefiting from Gnewt’s live track-and-trace service, text and email notifications, proof of delivery (POD) and an automated redelivery service. In addition, an industry first is the communication to the end-user telling them their parcel is being delivered by electric vehicle.
A number of Gnewt vans have also been wrapped using an environmentally friendly, non-PVC material with the ASOS signature parcel design and slogan, ‘Fresh style, fresher air’, to showcase the efforts the company is making to clean up London’s severely polluted air.
Gnewt has been changing the face of urban delivery for nearly a decade and last year alone delivered over a million parcels, reducing CO₂ emissions by 67% per parcel. Gnewt, in partnership with Ford, has developed and is trialling a portering model that requires a team to complete the last part of the journey by foot. This further reduces congestion, vehicle use and emissions and is currently provided to ASOS customers in Central London.
While it is currently only customers in central London who can be guaranteed emission-free last-mile delivery, Gnewt by Menzies Distribution is expanding the area it services and is exploring the roll-out of the service in other cities where air pollution and traffic congestion is a problem.
Sam Clarke, head of business development at Menzies Distribution, said, “ASOS is a highly innovative brand with social responsibility and sustainability at its heart. Air pollution is a major issue in London, with the legal air pollution limit being reached just one month into this year. Similarly, with the Ultra Low Emission Zone starting in April, drivers and brands will be forced to confront the problem with our air quality.
“Gnewt is proud to provide a service that is emission-free at the last mile, reduces congestion, and doesn’t compromise on speed and quality of service. We are delighted to partner with ASOS, enabling them to deliver a zero-emission final mile in the central London Congestion Zone.”
Adam Scholes, delivery solutions general manager, ASOS, said, “At ASOS, we are constantly looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint and demonstrate our commitment to being more environmentally friendly. At the same time, we always aim to improve the service we provide to our customers. Gnewt’s all-electric fleet and emission-free last-mile is a significant step in the right direction for ASOS. Gnewt is unique in that it provides bespoke service updates at every stage, notifying ASOS customers that their parcel is being delivered by electric vehicle.
“We are also supporting Gnewt’s trial of a sophisticated portering system. This initiative aims to avoid traffic jams and road congestion by making more deliveries with a dedicated team of on-foot porters. We will continue to work alongside Gnewt to deliver environmentally friendly and efficient methods of moving parcels through our cities.”
