Discovering a new phenomenon inside a Dutch urban context: ‘Flash Delivery’

Abstract

About one and a half years ago, the first flash delivery service arrived in the Netherland. Within a short period of time, it became clear that Dutch urban areas could not cope with the rapid expansion of these online grocery delivery platforms. City residents experienced disturbance in everyday life and municipalities received numerous complaints. Therefore, several municipalities, including Amsterdam and Utrecht, deployed a planning instrument that put a hold on the growth of flash delivery services. As a result, this topic dominated the Dutch newspaper headlines and social media platforms. This exploratory research tried to unravel the turmoil by investigating the spatial impact of flash delivery services inside an urban environment. Subsequently, it was scrutinized if a proper location choice, concerning the location of ‘dark stores’, could reduce the ongoing friction. In order to do this, the thesis was structured as a case study design that utilised three data collection methods: interview, observation and literature review. Furthermore, the research is considered as a collaboration between the author, a master’s student, and Stec Groep, an economic and spatial consulting firm in Arnhem.