The increasing complexity of urban food distribution has raised sustainability concerns, particularly due to emissions associated with last-mile delivery operations. Various innovations of eco-friendly technologies have emerged to address these challenges. However, a gap remains in the literature, as no classification exists to capture the full breadth of sustainable practices in urban food distribution. This study investigates innovative solutions in urban food distribution and analyses their role in achieving urban sustainability. A systematic literature review was conducted, identifying 77 relevant papers addressing sustainability. Additionally, insights from corporate reports and real-world practices of urban food actors were explored, further enriching the findings. The research identifies 58 practices that contribute to urban food distribution sustainability, including the adoption of alternative transport modes, the establishment of urban distribution facilities, and the evolution of customer order collection points. It revealed that innovation is not limited to low emission technology but can also be achieved through strategic measures. While majority of the studies have focused on improving the existing operations, some have introduced new emerging solutions. To structure these findings, a novel classification system of green practices was developed using a three-level grouping. This categorizes solutions into transport modes, infrastructure, strategic network design, packaging, and information management, where each solution can be mapped on more than one category forming a taxonomy. This study contributes to the literature gap by providing a comprehensive taxonomy that consolidates fragmented knowledge on practices contributing to urban food distribution sustainability. As many solutions intertwined to each other, it demonstrates that achieving sustainability requires integrated approaches rather isolated efforts.
Innovation towards sustainable urban food distribution: a literature review, taxonomy, and sustainability gain
Galli G.;Siragusa C.;Tumino A.
2025-01-01
Abstract
The increasing complexity of urban food distribution has raised sustainability concerns, particularly due to emissions associated with last-mile delivery operations. Various innovations of eco-friendly technologies have emerged to address these challenges. However, a gap remains in the literature, as no classification exists to capture the full breadth of sustainable practices in urban food distribution. This study investigates innovative solutions in urban food distribution and analyses their role in achieving urban sustainability. A systematic literature review was conducted, identifying 77 relevant papers addressing sustainability. Additionally, insights from corporate reports and real-world practices of urban food actors were explored, further enriching the findings. The research identifies 58 practices that contribute to urban food distribution sustainability, including the adoption of alternative transport modes, the establishment of urban distribution facilities, and the evolution of customer order collection points. It revealed that innovation is not limited to low emission technology but can also be achieved through strategic measures. While majority of the studies have focused on improving the existing operations, some have introduced new emerging solutions. To structure these findings, a novel classification system of green practices was developed using a three-level grouping. This categorizes solutions into transport modes, infrastructure, strategic network design, packaging, and information management, where each solution can be mapped on more than one category forming a taxonomy. This study contributes to the literature gap by providing a comprehensive taxonomy that consolidates fragmented knowledge on practices contributing to urban food distribution sustainability. As many solutions intertwined to each other, it demonstrates that achieving sustainability requires integrated approaches rather isolated efforts.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
