Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Quak, H.J.
Author-Name-Last: Quak
Author-Name-First: Hans
Author-Name: de Koster, M.B.M.
Author-Name-Last: de Koster
Author-Name-First: René
Title: Exploring retailers' sensitivity to local sustainability policies
Abstract: Local governments in Western Europe increasingly use city time-access regulations to improve social sustainibility. These regulations significantly influence the distribution process of retail chain organizations. This paper studies the impact of governmental timewindow pressure on  retailers’ logistical concept and consequential financial and environmental distribution  performance. We determine which dimensions in the retailer’s logistical concept determine its  cost and emission sensitivity to increasing time-window pressure. Our research is based on a  multiple case study of fourteen Dutch retail cases in different sectors and with different store  formulas. The retailers provided all organizational, flow and cost data of their secondary  distribution (between distribution center and stores). We use these data to calculate the impacts  of different time-window pressure scenarios, including the current situation, using vehicle routing  software. It appears that cost increases are moderate, when few cities are affected. However, as  more cities are affected, costs increase considerably, particularly if time-window lengths become  shorter. Time-windows harmonized between cities, lead to less negative effects. We find various  dimensions that contribute to reducing the retailer’s sensitivity to timewindow pressure. We  formulate conclusions hypothesizing the links between timewindow pressure, its effects, and the  dimensions that determine these effects.
Creation-Date: 2005-11-16
File-URL: https://repub.eur.nl/pub/7090/ERS+2005+066+LIS.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
Series: RePEc:ems:eureri
Number: ERS-2005-066-LIS
Classification-JEL: L15, L81, M, M11, O32
Keywords: case study, city logistics / distribution, governmental regulation, retail, sustainability
Handle: RePEc:ems:eureri:7090