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Enhancing safety in B2C delivery chains

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  • Verheyen, Wouter
  • Kołacz, Marta K.

Abstract

This study focuses on safety measures in B2C delivery chains, particularly during last-mile delivery in COVID pandemic times. We observe that in this context delivery workers provide the necessary resilience to the consumer market, yet owing to lack of risk awareness and low wages they may not have incentives to value and manage safety risks properly. We have therefore investigated public and market regulation for possible remedies for this problem. Our research concludes that delivery risks are currently overlooked in EU road transport regulations. Furthermore, the necessary sector transparency that would allow compliance control is equally missing. We have found that the parcel delivery and on-demand delivery sectors also do not provide any special safety measures. The companies do not go beyond recommendations and guidelines and indicate no compliance controls. Some solutions are offered by mandatory contract law, which could provide retailers and consumers with the tools needed to enforce safe delivery in the contract chain. Nevertheless, since there are no explicit contractual obligations, legal uncertainty remains. Our main recommendation is for greater transparency in B2C delivery chains with new or amended regulations, increased reporting obligations and market regulation. All these should be underpinned by optimising digitised data flows in contract chains, which can be achieved by a data pipeline connecting all stakeholders in the delivery chain.

Suggested Citation

  • Verheyen, Wouter & Kołacz, Marta K., 2022. "Enhancing safety in B2C delivery chains," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 12-22.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:117:y:2022:i:c:p:12-22
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2021.12.020
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Irene Navarro del Aguila & Jeronimo de Burgos Jiménez, 2023. "Analysis Of Last-Mile Logistics In Short Agri-Food Supply Chains," Business Logistics in Modern Management, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Economics, Croatia, vol. 23, pages 153-170.

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