Merano launches “Move to Cargo” for sustainable local shopping

Merano, Italy, has launched “Move to Cargo”, a new service designed to make shopping more sustainable, convenient and accessible. Coordinated by STA – Strutture Trasporto Alto Adige SpA on behalf of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, together with independent L, the South Tyrol Trade-Tourism-Services Union, the Municipality of Merano and the Merano Hippodrome, the project will run until June 2026.

The initiative offers residents three ways to shop sustainably:

• Free cargo-bike sharing – reserve via the MOQO app. Electric cargo bikes and scooters, some adapted for older people and persons with disabilities, are available free of charge from participating stores.
• Home deliveries – shopping delivered to your door by FIX bike couriers for €2 per trip.
• Pickup station – collect purchases from a new locker facility at the Merano Hippodrome.

Local leaders stress that the project supports both sustainable mobility and local commerce. Provincial Mobility Councillor Daniel Alfreider highlighted the involvement of local shopkeepers, while Mayor Katharina Zeller described the scheme as “a step towards more inclusive, sustainable urban development that is closer to local merchants.”

According to STA coordinators Harald Reiterer and Valentina Mena, the goal is to establish cargo bikes as a regular part of urban transport in South Tyrol. The initiative also introduces measures to ensure accessibility for the whole community.

“Move to Cargo” is part of the international SuCoLo project (“Fostering sustainable consumer behaviour with inclusive bicycle logistics infrastructure in urban outskirts”), co-financed by the EU under the Driving Urban Transitions partnership.

Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.