A study of impact of food and quick commerce apps on the carbon footprint of an individual

Abstract

A decade ago, nobody would have thought that in a world ever so evolving, we would be able to have food delivered straight to our doorsteps with a click on our phones. Food delivery apps have disrupted the food delivery industry for good. Following suite, quick commerce apps too have made it possible for people to get groceries delivered to their homes in a matter of minutes. This study aims to explore how the prevalence of food delivery and quick commerce apps have impacted an individual's carbon footprint. We begin with mapping different user journeys detailing two scenarios, one, where we trace the carbon footprint of an individual that does not use any of the apps in question and chooses to either go out for food, get takeaways or cooks at home. We next look at the journey of a typical user that orders food from a food delivery app. In both cases, we translate the core activity into the carbon emissions generated through the modular activities of the process. In subsequent sections, we compare and contrast the two user journeys and uncover the intricacies that add up to the carbon emissions every step of the way. The food/ grocery delivery platforms and end users should make conscious and sustainable choices to reduce their carbon footprints. Even though grocery delivery platforms have replaced ICEs to EVs, still their carbon footprint is on the rise and the best possible solution for an individual is to moderate his/her choices and take responsibility for their actions.