Callout: Delivery Companies. The Policy Blind Spot Driving Circular Mobility: Why First- and Last-Mile Deliveries from Manufacturer to Customer Matter?

We talk about cycling as zero-emission. But if every bike travels thousands of kilometres in trucks, ships, or planes before reaching a child / customer, are we really counting the costs & emissions?

Often overlooked, logistic providers are the true backbone the shift toward circular economy.

They keep bikes, parts, and services moving — yet in today’s frameworks, they remain almost invisible to policy. And that invisibility has consequences. Recognizing their role is not just about logistics. It’s about acknowledging that without delivery, circular mobility cannot scale to serve families, support local businesses, or contribute to climate and equity goals.

Logistic Providers: The Backbone of Circular Mobility.

Why Policymakers Hold the Keys

Policy determines whether logistics empowers circular mobility — or holds it back:

• Procurement rules continue to reward one-off bike purchases, leaving service-based models at a disadvantage.

• Subsidies and incentives prioritize bikes and infrastructure, while distribution networks remain unsupported.

• Compliance burdens fall hardest on small delivery firms, which dominate the sector but lack resources to adapt.

• Climate and equity targets are undermined as logistics — responsible for 73% of EU transport emissions — remains outside the mobility agenda.

• Rural access is constrained, as delivery networks are rarely considered in cohesion policy planning.

Circular mobility doesn’t fail because families, shops, or manufacturers lack ambition. It falters when first- and last-mile logistics are left unsupported — And it also creates overloads that directly strain distribution partners.

The Hidden Challenges Holding Back Circular Mobility

Four separate levels

1. High delivery costs make small orders financially unsustainable Small orders often carry disproportionately high delivery costs, threatening profitability for businesses and creating barriers for customers. Optimizing first- and last-mile logistics is critical to make these orders viable and support circular economy.

2. Parcel-based systems are designed for disposable packages, not for durable goods that need to circulate multiple times. Current delivery systems prioritize disposable packaging over durable goods designed to circulate multiple times. Rethinking these systems is essential to unlock the full potential of circular mobility.

3. Delayed or failed deliveries undermine customer trust and drive higher churn. Unreliable deliveries harm customer trust, leading to higher churn rates and reduced engagement. Strengthening delivery reliability is not just operational - it's strategic.

4. Reserve logistics is overlooked Neglecting reserve logistics leaves valuable assets unused or wasted. Integrating effective returns and asset recovery systems can transform inefficiencies into opportunities for sustainability and profit.

The Emissions Reality Policymakers Must Address

• Sea freight: ~19 g CO₂ per tonne-km

• Road freight: ~62 g CO₂ per tonne-km

• Air freight: 1,000+ g CO₂ per tonne-km
  

Every time the system shifts from sea to road, or from road to air, the climate benefits of cycling are eroded. With road freight already responsible for 73% of EU transport emissions, cycling’s climate promise cannot be fulfilled without addressing logistics.

The Human Side of Logistics

Transport companies work long hours, delivering packages day and night, always ready to serve. Yet in circular mobility, their contribution remains undervalued. In 2022, the EU had ~1.4 million transport & storage enterprises, and Eurostat shows the sector is dominated by micro and small firms (under 50 employees). Postal and courier work is especially labour-intensive, with the majority carried out by small providers. These are not faceless corporations. They are small companies and local operators who keep goods — including bikes and parts — moving. In rural areas especially, their role remains constrained by the lack of systemic recognition. Just as with bike shops, moving the ecosystem forward often leaves those doing the daily work at a disadvantage.

Rising Expectations, Growing Pressure

The rise of subscription services and sustainability goals makes the role of delivery companies more critical than ever. Families are demanding affordable, eco-friendly alternatives to ownership, especially in markets where cycling is part of daily life. Yet current logistics structures fall short of these expectations:

• Short bike trips are offset by long, carbon-heavy deliveries.

• Shipping generates packaging waste that increases environmental impact.

• Delivery reliability varies, leaving families without bikes or parts they depend on.
  

Delivery Companies Circular Mobility The Call to Delivery Companies

Delivery companies are not invisible service providers. They are the infrastructure of circular mobility. Without them, shops, manufacturers, policymakers, and families all face higher costs, fragile margins, and broken trust. Their contribution remains under-recognized, while small operators in particular carry heavy burdens without the resources or visibility they need. The delivery sector is not peripheral. It is central to the mobility transition. Yet without structural recognition, it remains stuck at the margins — and circular mobility remains fragile.

That’s why the Playbooks highlight logistics as a critical pitfall — and show how delivery companies, together with policymakers and operators, are part of the system that must hold.

Jaana Ylikoski Founder, Author of the Playbooks

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