Unleashing the Environmental Postal User

The postal sector has woken up to the part it can play in reducing environmental impacts. Industry and regulators accept that postal services have a small but nevertheless significant role in producing global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and are working on strategies to minimize these. But what part is the postal user prepared to play? This paper looks at the extent to which postal users share these views and whether purchasing behavior will match any aspirations those same users have to consume sustainably. It focuses on consumer attitudes to sustainable purchases in post and does not seek to address the wider issues around societal sustainability and the postal sector’s role as a whole in reducing emissions. Research suggests many consumers and businesses consider environmental factors when choosing a postal product, but price often ends up outweighing these concerns. However, price is not the only barrier affecting more sustainable buying patterns. As more operators market their eco-credentials and products, consumers can become confused, and the industry could face accusations of “greenwashing” in turn eroding customer trust. While many postal users want to make sustainable decisions, they will need help. Unleashing the environmental postal user will need competitively priced sustainable products, multiple reasons to buy, and the provision and potential enforcement of clear information to inform and promote purchasing decisions.