This was one of the first papers in the logistics literature to look specifically at effects on CO₂ emissions of a major structural trend in the sector. It argued that the centralisation of retail inventory and consolidation of shops deliveries by multiple retailers was yielding a net reduction in CO₂ emissions per tonne of product delivered. Over the past 20 years large British retailers have transformed the system of shop delivery by centralizing inventory at distribution centres and delivering supplies in large consolidated loads. This rationalization of the pattern of delivery receives little mention in retailers’ environmental policy statements, despite the fact that it is likely to have reduced emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants. This paper assesses the likely effects of the system on CO₂ levels and suggests that any reductions upstream of the shop are likely to have been more than offset by the greater use of cars on shopping trips.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0967070X94900213

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