Online garden centre The Stem has launched a Christmas tree delivery service using electric vans from London-based logistics company, Stuart.
The Christmas tree delivery service is expected to shift over 4,000 trees – which have all been grown in the UK – to customers within the M25 area over the festive period.
Deliveries are dispatched from Stuart’s delivery hub in east London and powered by a fleet comprising 100% electric vans.
Some enviromentalists argue that the practice of chopping down trees to temporarily place in homes at Christmas is not particularly ‘green’, but others suggest that real trees have less of a carbon footprint than artificial ones, particularly if they are composted efficiently after use.
Recognising wider environmental concerns, The Stem has committed to planting ten new trees for every Christmas tree sold as part of a carbon offsetting strategy.
Next-day Christmas tree delivery and nominated-day delivery are also provided by the retailer thanks to its partnership with Stuart.
James Folger, founder of The Stem, said: “People are wanting to shop more consciously, and with sustainability at the heart of our business, we’re offering our customers a ‘greener’ tree.”
Brendan Hamill, UK general manager at Stuart, added: “Consumers are increasingly expecting companies across all sectors to offer a fast and flexible delivery service to fit in with their daily lives.
“We’ve seen this happen most noticeably with groceries in recent months and Christmas trees are no different.”
In the wake of the United Nations’ COP26 eco summit, which took place last month, there has been growing momentum behind encouraging consumers to have a ‘greener’ Christmas and to be kinder to the environment.
Fashion retailer Fat Face, for example, continued its now annual tradition of distributing paper shopping bags that can double up as gift wrap after they have been used for their initial purpose, while some of the major grocers have clamped down on plastic in Christmas crackers.
Meanwhile Wrag Wrap, a gift wrap company, has launched a gift wrap rental service for 2021. Rental costs £23 for a small pack of ten wraps, £30 for the rental of a medium pack of 20 wraps, and £60 for 50 wraps – with consumers putting down a refundable deposit that is re-credited once the goods are returned to Wrag Wrap in the new year.
The aim is to avoid single-use wrapping ending up in landfill, with the rental service allowing materials to be used on multiple occasions.
[Image credit: London Photography Studios LTD for Stuart]
