June 21, 2008

Collaboration Cuts Transportation Emissions, Saves Dough

Thirty-seven of the UK’s largest food and drink companies, including Coca Cola, Coors, Northern Foods, Heinz and Asda, have agreed to participate in a “Sustainable Distribution” initiative that will result in the removal of 800 trucks from UK roads this year and save 23 million liters of diesel fuel per year, Food Production Daily reports.

Recent research from KPMG found that the transportation industry’s level of preparedness for climate change risks is the worst of all the 18 industries the research examined.

The food and grocery think tank IGD says the new initiative in the UK is a response to rising energy costs and a growing awareness among consumers of the number of food miles incurred in the distribution of products.

Nestle and United Biscuits began working together in early 2007 to create efficiency in their distribution network. United Biscuits trucks now collect a load of Nestle products each day and deliver it to a Nestle distribution center, reducing empty truck runs.

IGD says that Tesco and Unilever have explored the potential of transport collaboration, sharing vehicles between the Unilever Doncaster and the Tesco Goole distribution centers, reducing road miles by 500,000.

The UK is also testing LHVs, or longer, heavier vehicles, as a way to cut carbon emissions from the supply chain

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