Royal Mail has launched a six-month trial of parcel lockers at selected Tesco supermarkets across the UK, allowing customers to collect, send and return parcels at any time of day.
The lockers are installed outside participating stores and are accessible 24/7. The first locations include Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Barrow, Burnham-on-Sea, Bury, Cullompton, Horwich, March, Preston and Salisbury.
According to Royal Mail, the trial forms part of its strategy to expand out-of-home delivery options and provide customers with additional ways to manage parcels.
The lockers include built-in label printing, enabling customers to send or return parcels even if they do not have access to a printer. Users pay for postage online and receive a QR code, which can be scanned at the locker to print the shipping label or process a return.
Royal Mail said the service complements its existing parcel drop-off and collection network. The company currently operates around 25,000 parcel access points across the UK, including approximately 2,600 lockers, 11,500 Post Office branches, 8,000 Royal Mail shop outlets, 1,200 customer service points and 1,400 parcel postboxes.
Jack Clarkson, managing director for out-of-home and commercial excellence at Royal Mail, said, “We are really excited to bring Royal Mail lockers to Tesco stores. This partnership is another example of how we are making it easier than ever for our customers to collect, send and return parcels with us.”
Clarkson added that the company aims to significantly expand its parcel access network over the coming years.
“It’s great news for shoppers and a step toward delivering our ambition to triple our parcel points to 45,000 by 2030,” he said.
Tesco said the trial forms part of a wider test of locker hub partnerships across a small number of stores.
“We’re constantly looking for ways to make the shopping trip even more convenient for our customers,” a Tesco strategic partnership team spokesperson said. “Working with Royal Mail, in addition to our existing locker partner InPost, will give even more customers a convenient way to collect and drop off their parcels as part of their shopping trip.”
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