Delivery robots’ green credentials make them more attractive to consumers

PULLMAN, Wash. – The smaller carbon footprint, or wheel print, of automatic delivery robots can encourage consumers to use them when ordering food, according to a Washington State University study.

The suitcase-sized, self-driving electric vehicles are much greener than many traditional food delivery methods because they have low, or even zero, carbon emissions. In this study, participants who had more environmental awareness and knowledge about carbon emissions were more likely to choose the robots as a delivery method. The green influence went away though when people perceived the robots as a high-risk choice—meaning they worried that their food would be late, cold or otherwise spoiled before it arrived.

The findings, reported in the International Journal of Hospitality Management, indicate a way to promote the use of delivery robots.

“Much of the marketing focus has been on the functionality and the convenience of these automatic delivery robots, which is really important, but it would enhance these efforts to promote their green aspects as well,” said lead author Jennifer Han, a doctoral student in WSU’s Carson College of Business.

Working with WSU researchers Hyun Jeong Kim and Soobin Seo, Han conducted an online survey with 418 adult participants recruited through MTurk, Amazon’s crowdsourcing platform. More than half were from urban areas, and many were already familiar with delivery robots, which are gaining in popularity in big cities. The participants watched short videos about automatic delivery robots and answered questions about carbon emissions as well as the robots themselves.

The researchers found a strong correlation between high ranked statements related to carbon emissions and the willingness to use the automatic delivery robots or ADRs. That connection broke, however, among people who thought using the technology was risky.

“When people had a higher perceived risk about using the ADRs, they didn’t really care about the environmental concerns, but people who had less perceived risk were more strongly attached to this decision mechanism,” said Han. “So, it was pretty clear that all these essential functional features have to work. Then the environmental issues come after that.”

The pandemic pushed an increase in online food ordering by 63%, according to Statista, which has in turn resulted in increased congestion and carbon emissions as more gas-powered vehicles hit the road to deliver the food. Many automatic delivery robots, which can travel on sidewalks and roads, are electric, and some rely on renewable energy sources like solar power. Other research has estimated that ADR-use can reduce congestion by 29% and carbon emissions by 16%.

More food service businesses are turning to automatic delivery robots to do so-called “last mile” delivery. Some companies like Dominos already have their own delivery fleets, but smaller restaurants are using them as well through services such as Grubhub and Starship Technologies.

ADRs may appeal to businesses simply because they help meet the growing demand for delivery services, but as this study indicates, their ability to curb carbon emissions may also prove a powerful motivator for consumers.

Han suggested that companies could highlight the delivery robots’ green credentials by displaying a calculation of the emissions of each delivery method.

“They could show consumers that they are reducing this much of carbon footprint through the delivery robot service. That would be one cue to promote those purchasing behaviors, if consumers have a big interest in environmental issues,” she said.