International food and grocery expert IGD has announced 124 million HGV miles have been taken off UK roads as part of its Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) UK Sustainable Distribution initiative.

The ‘miles saved’ initiative has exceeded its four-year target of removing the miles by the end of 2010, a year early – the equivalent of removing 2000 lorries from Britain’s roads – and conserving 60 million litres of diesel fuel per year.
Originally spearheaded by companies involved in ECR UK under the auspices of the IGD, the activities have been extended across the industry and now include 40 of the UK’s leading household retailer and manufacturer brands. Engaging in initiatives such as the use of double-deck vehicles and the sharing of lorries to deliver grocery products, these companies are significantly reducing the environmental impact of transporting food and groceries in the UK.
The road miles saved have been generated through a mix of best practice internal projects and external partnerships between retailers and suppliers. IGD has contributed to the miles saved by providing the industry with a suite of online resources designed to capture and share best practice across the supply chain. These resources can be found at www.igd.com/ecr.