East of England Co-op has partnered with automated delivery company Quadient to instal smart lockers in its stores.
The society says the partnership will enable communities across the region “to send and receive parcels in the most reliable, convenient and secure way possible”.
The first of the new Parcel Pending by Quadient smart lockers have been installed in the Suffolk market towns of Hadleigh and Framlingham.
East of England says the smart lockers are an important part of the its plans to expand its in-store services, with lockers also planned for Norfolk and Essex in the coming months. Parcel Pending by Quadient’s lockers will join other in-store parcel services, including Evri, DPD, In-Post and Amazon lockers.
Parcel Pending by Quadient is a growing network of smart parcel lockers that are used for deliveries by major carriers including Royal Mail, DPD, Evri and UPS. The lockers come with a built-in label printer, for use by people dropping off returned items.
East of England’s chief operating officer Andy Rigby said; “This new partnership will make shopping with us even more convenient. People’s lives are busier than ever, and I know our communities will benefit from being able to pick up their parcels while they pick up other essentials. I’m delighted that our partnership with Quadient is allowing us to meet the evolving needs of our members and customers.”
Katia Bourgeais-Crémel, director of lockers automation platform for Europe at Quadient, said: “This is another step on our journey to building a network of 5,000 lockers across the UK. East of England Co-op stores sit at the heart of its communities, and this will be another great service to provide for local residents. We cannot wait to see the positive impact this deal will have for people across the East.”
