2017) Pollutionwatch: not much cheer from online Christmas shopping | Air pollution | The Guardian
Gary Fuller
Vans, up by 71% since 1996, are the fastest growing vehicle type in UK. They are nearly all diesel-powered and share the same nitrogen dioxide exhaust problems as diesel cars.
In 2015, 73% of UK adults did Christmas shopping online and 88% of these used home deliveries, causing concerns about traffic pollution.
However most of the increase in vans pre-dates internet shopping. Van growth since 2006 was 23%, much less than the decade before. In 2008 most vans were used to transport equipment, perhaps reflecting changes in self-employment.