There should be a tax on packages that people order from web shops, so that the number of ‘polluting journeys’ is reduced and the ‘delivery madness’ comes to an end. At least, that’s what the ChristenUnie thinks, which wants the cabinet to investigate this idea.
For example, the coalition party’s plan is to pay a fixed amount for each order, in addition to a percentage of the order’s value.
The proceeds then have to go to small and medium-sized enterprises, which are groaning under the power of ‘large, sometimes internationally operating web shops’, says ChristenUnie MP Pieter Grinwis. “Increasingly, local shops have to compete with the large online stores. As a result, SMEs seem to be losing the battle more and more and our shopping streets are becoming empty, while delivery vans with packages drive back and forth. This delivery madness can and should really be reduced.”
Grinwis: ,,Every time we pay for our virtual shopping cart, a delivery person has to leave. Such a delivery movement has all kinds of negative effects, such as CO2 emissions and unsafe traffic situations.”
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It also bothers him that many large companies also send products without shipping costs, while one order is sometimes spread over several journeys. “While from a climate point of view it would be much better to limit the number of delivery movements by ordering everything in one go. Or even better: just cycle to the nearest shopping street. Then we can quickly say goodbye to the distribution boxes.”
Also the packages from SMEs themselves should be taxed but the ‘volume’ of that sector is smaller, Grinwis says, so the revenue should flow back to smaller companies. He hopes that the cabinet will come up with a proposal in the course of the coming year.
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