Evaluation of an 'unsupermarket' model for community-based sustainable food distribution in Australia

In recent years, growing pressure from regulatory bodies and consumers has urged Australian businesses to adopt sustainable practices, particularly in reducing carbon footprints. The retail industry, especially supermarket chains, plays a crucial role in the national economy while significantly contributing to carbon emissions through warehousing and transportation operations. Thus, the urgent need to decarbonise the transport sector is pivotal in achieving net-zero emissions and advancing the clean energy transition across Australia. Accordingly, it is estimated that electric trucks could reduce Australia's road freight emissions by around28 million tonnes by 2050 if adopted at scale. This study is among the first in Australia to quantitatively assess the environmental benefits of a community-driven logistics approach, exemplified by Box Divvy's Unsupermarket Model case study. Contrasting with traditional supermarket supply chains, the Unsupermarket Model refers to a logistics system where goods are consolidated at community hubs for efficient last-mile delivery since individual customer trips to stores typically dominate emissions profiles. By evaluating Box Divvy's case study, this paper explores travel and emission data, optimised hub placements and incorporated renewable energy technologies to leverage the electrification of transport fleets. Findings on such an approach demonstrate that localised delivery hubs and low-emission delivery vehicles can substantially reduce travel distances and cumulative emissions while meeting consumer demands for sustainable practices. Therefore, by aligning logistics innovations with emerging clean energy technologies, this holistic model presents a scalable pathway to net-zero emissions in food transportation logistics, offering valuable insights for policymakers and industry leaders seeking sustainable transitions in supply chain operations. Further, these insights extend beyond Australia, presenting a replicable global framework for regions and businesses that aim to achieve net-zero emissions through innovative supply chain solutions.