THE COST OF CONVENIENCE: UNDERSTANDING THE BROADER PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF ON-DEMAND DELIVERY

Authors: ANGELA CURL, ROSE CROSSIN, CHRISTINA McKERCHAR

It has never been easier to have almost anything delivered to your door — meals, groceries, alcohol, or vapes. What began as a Covid-19 pandemic convenience is now part of daily life in Aotearoa New Zealand. But while on-demand delivery offers ease and efficiency, authors Angela Curl, Rose Crossin and Christina McKerchar highlight how

this rapid shift has brought wider public health implications — from unhealthy diets and easier access to alcohol, to increased traffic emissions, injury risks, and changing urban environment

As delivery apps reshape how we live, eat, and move through our cities, they also raise bigger questions about health, equity, and the kind of communities we want to build.