Tesco Grocery Home Shopping has announced it will cut its CO2 emissions by 7,346 metric tonnes across the UK and ROI in just one year across its fleet of delivery vehicles.
Tesco said it has collaborated with Lightfoot – a UK-based clean technology engineering company to proactively manage emissions as demand for its home delivery services soared during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, within a year of the new technology deployment, the carbon emission savings are the equivalent to powering 1,334 family homes for a year and emoving 1,598 passenger vehicles from the roads, the retailer said.
The move is also equivalent to charging 893,586,881 smartphones and recycling 312,569 bags of rubbish, it added.
“At Tesco, we’re committed to reducing our environmental impact across our operations, from energy and waste to food production and distribution. We make 15,000 delivery journeys every day," said Matt Rhind, distribution and fulfillment transport director for Tesco.
'Lightfoot Score'
According to Tesco the gains that have been made are the result of Lightfoot’s 'unique approach' – engaging drivers and encouraging them to drive more smoothly, safely and efficiently through app-based technology which rewards better driving.
"The Lightfoot app gives every one of our home delivery drivers real-time feedback on their driving style so they can make immediate improvements and reduce their emissions on every trip they make,” explained Rhind.
At the end of each journey, a 'Lightfoot Score' is given and can be seen by the driver on a smartphone app.
Using this app, drivers can see how their performance changes over time, enter leagues and compete with their colleagues.
Anyone who reaches ‘Elite Driver’ status with a Lightfoot Score of 85% or higher can enter themselves for free into the Lightfoot Drivers’ Lottery, giving them a chance of winning weekly cash prizes, while taking advantage of special offers and giveaways, the company said.
“The ethos behind Lightfoot is that by rewarding good driver behaviour, our technology can provide huge real-world savings in carbon emissions and fuel consumption, at the same time as rewarding hard-working drivers," said Rupert Lyon Taylor, MD, Lightfoot.
"Our data has shown that the person behind the wheel has as much responsibility for the performance and efficiency of their vehicle as what’s beneath the bonnet. If a driver is inefficient, their vehicle will be too. We also know that driver engagement with efficiency improvement is the key to long-term success, so we designed our technology around this," he added.
© 2021 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. For more technology news click here. Click sign up to subscribe to Checkout.
