Home shopping

 

Home shopping is rapidly growing in popularity and while it will never replace the pleasure of wandering around independent shops, browsing through items and choosing presents, it is an excellent way to buy bulk products.

 

It is also a great way to reduce car journeys and save on wear and tear of both the machine and your own body.

 

Orders can be placed online or through a catalogue and although some home delivery items may have been purchased during a store visit most involve no travel at all by the person buying the item.

 

Home delivery of groceries is estimated to cut car mileage by as much as 70- 80% for those using the service. Naturally the effect of home delivery on overall shopping traffic depends on how many people use the service.

 

The government says a reasonable estimate is that home delivery of groceries, as an example, could reach 15%of the total grocery market within ten years. That could cut car mileage for grocery shopping by 80% and car mileage for all shopping by 4%.

 

Home deliveries are not the only alternative to driving to the shops. Using public transport is another way of reducing traffic and the knock-on effect of fewer vehicles on the road is a reduction in air pollution.