<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Background:</bold> E-commerce has emerged as a good response to the pandemic of COVID-19. However, the costs of providing a service, which includes a driver and a vehicle, in a regular vehicle that can transport goods that need positive cold (0° to 5°C) are very high.
<bold>Objectives:</bold> This paper aims to investigate how a big Portuguese retailer company can reduce its dependence on refrigerated vehicles, simplifying operations and reducing the costs of transporting positive and negative cold food.
<bold>Methods/Approach:</bold> This research was carried out in a food retailer Portuguese company, more precisely in a Dark Store dedicated to the online channel. The study was developed based on the AS-IS/TO-BE process analysis methodology, starting with the analysis of the current situation, giving rise to the so-called AS-IS model.
<bold>Results:</bold> It was possible to reduce costs associated with transporting positive cold goods. As a result, there are 30% fewer costs associated with order transportation. With an additional 10% in space optimization with the gain of space within the galley of each vehicle.
<bold>Conclusions:</bold> The costs of transporting positive and negative cold foods were decreased, and substituting vehicles with room temperature transport reduced the need for refrigerated vehicles.
</abstract>

Background: E-commerce has emerged as a good response to the pandemic of COVID-19. However, the costs of providing a service, which includes a driver and a vehicle, in a regular vehicle that can transport goods that need positive cold (0° to 5°C) are very high.
Objectives: This paper aims to investigate how a big Portuguese retailer company can reduce its dependence on refrigerated vehicles, simplifying operations and reducing the costs of transporting positive and negative cold food.
Methods/Approach: This research was carried out in a food retailer Portuguese company, more precisely in a Dark Store dedicated to the online channel. The study was developed based on the AS-IS/TO-BE process analysis methodology, starting with the analysis of the current situation, giving rise to the so-called AS-IS model.
Results: It was possible to reduce costs associated with transporting positive cold goods. As a result, there are 30% fewer costs associated with order transportation. With an additional 10% in space optimization with the gain of space within the galley of each vehicle.
Conclusions: The costs of transporting positive and negative cold foods were decreased, and substituting vehicles with room temperature transport reduced the need for refrigerated vehicles.

Using EPP Boxes in a Dark Store: A New Approach to Simplify Food Retail E-Commerce Deliveries

Business Systems Research Journal

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Background: E-commerce has emerged as a good response to the pandemic of COVID-19. However, the costs of providing a service, which includes a driver and a...

Using EPP Boxes in a Dark Store: A New Approach to Simplify Food Retail E-Commerce Deliveries

Published Online: Dec 30, 2022

Page range: 130 - 143

Received: Feb 02, 2022

Accepted: Oct 16, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bsrj-2022-0029

Keywords
E-commerce, Transportation, Sustainability, Dark Store, Food Retail, Case study

© 2022 Eduardo Pintado et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Using EPP Boxes in a Dark Store: A New Approach to Simplify Food Retail E-Commerce Deliveries

Published Online: Dec 30, 2022

Page range: 130 - 143

Received: Feb 02, 2022

Accepted: Oct 16, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bsrj-2022-0029

KeywordsE-commerce, Transportation, Sustainability, Dark Store, Food Retail, Case study

© 2022 Eduardo Pintado et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
E-commerce, Transportation, Sustainability, Dark Store, Food Retail, Case study