Forward-looking concepts for efficient logistics in cities

"Efficiency in urban logistics can be achieved by bundling shipments." This is the conclusion of Prof. Dr. Stefan Rock, Professor of International Trade Management and Trade Logistics at THI Business School, who analysed the logistics concepts of a total of twelve national and international cities.

With online trade continuing to grow, the number of shipments is increasing. At the same time, the majority of the population, including the orderers, live in urban areas. There is plenty of potential for conflict in the interaction between the buyers, the online trade, the municipalities and other actors such as the inner-city retail trade. This makes sustainable solutions, which are already being successfully implemented in the twelve national and international municipalities analysed, all the more urgent.

To improve the traffic situation, some cities promote the use of cargo bikes or smaller delivery vehicles with alternative drives, for example. A further relief can be "mobile hubs" as transfer points on the last leg of the shipment, which are used variably in cities. According to Rock, the bundling of consignments across recipients, which was successfully implemented in most of the cities analysed, is very effective.

Rock has published detailed information on which cities are particularly successful with which measures in the 51st issue (2022) of the “Lebensmittelzeitung”.