This article has been published in original language (Italian) on 23 october 2012 by Paolo Volpato. URL: http://www.bikeitalia.it/2012/10/23/promuovere-luso-della-bici-per-fare-la-spesa-lesperienza-tedesca/

1. Promoting the use of bicycles for shopping: the German experience
Going to the grocery store, or generally, going
shopping it's one of those actions that to (almost)
everyone happens to do often. Indeed it has been
calculated that, of all the movements that take
place in a city, those concerning the every day
shopping constitute more than one third of the
total, a percentage significantly relevant. In
addition, the majority of these transfers usually
occurs within a narrow area.
Take, for example, the smaller towns: to reach the
centre, where most of the shops are, often it is not necessary to do more than a few kilometers.
Even in large cities, supermarkets are regularly distributed throughout the territory.
Given the frequency of trips for shopping, and the fact that these trips are usually short (please
notice that, according to many studies, the bike is the fastest way of transport when you move
within 3 km), facilitating the use of bicycles for these purposes seems to be one of the best ways
to promote a sustainable transport.
This is what is being done in Germany, through an initiative called Einkaufen mit dem Rad (literally
"shopping by bike "), sponsored by the BUND (the German Association for the Environment and
the Nature Protection). In several German cities, the BUND has got in touch with the local
authorities and retailers to improve conditions for cyclists who want to go downtown to shop.
Local administrations are asked what is below reported:
 first of all to devote more space to bike parking compared to the much less efficient
parking for cars (in a car parking can enter around 8-10 bicycles);
 the bicycle parking areas should be covered and well-lit;
 in addition, due to the fact that in Germany many city centres are pedestrian zone, it has
been proposed to allow access for bikes in these areas, at least before and after the rush
hour; should not be possible, bicycle parking areas should be as close as possible to the
border of the pedestrian areas;
 to provide the development of more bicycle lanes.
Retailers are asked to:
 help by providing bike racks outside their shops ;
 provide discounts to those who come to do their shopping by bike (to encourage traders to
do this, they are reminded that cyclists tend to prefer the small shops in the center, rather
than the more difficult to reach shopping centers in the suburbs);

2.  another idea is to provide small spaces where cyclists can leave temporarily, while visiting
a store, the goods bought in other stores.
As you can easily understand, this type of solution is more feasible in small towns, and that's
where it has been focusing the BUND action. Anyway, also two big cities such as Berlin and
Bremen are included in the project.
In the German capital the situation for cyclists, at least in the suburbs, it is not too negative, while
the city centre is suffering from a heavy traffic congestion; BUND lends the free bikes to those who
want to try for once to go shopping by bike.
Other cities involved in the project have Göttingen, Rostock, Offenburg, Karlsruhe and Potsdam.
This article has been published in original language (Italian) on 23 october 2012 by Paolo Volpato. URL:
http://www.bikeitalia.it/2012/10/23/promuovere-luso-della-bici-per-fare-la-spesa-lesperienza-tedesca/