Royal Mail and the Post Office are launching a trial of parcel lockers at Post Office branches across the UK.
The six-month trial will see parcel lockers installed outside stores, allowing customers to access them at any time, including outside of branch opening hours.
The lockers feature label printing, making the process convenient for customers who do not have access to a printer.
To use them, customers need to pay for postage online and get a QR code, or request a QR code if they are returning a purchase.
Royal Mail now has over 24,000 locations where customers can drop off and collect parcels, including 2,400 lockers, 11,500 Post Office branches, almost 8,000 Royal Mail Shop outlets, 1,200 Royal Mail Customer Service Points and 1,400 parcel postboxes.
Anna Malley, Royal Mail director of partnerships and acquisitions, said: “Post Office is one of Royal Mail’s most important partners, and this is an exciting step forward in how we work together.
“The trial reflects our commitment to meeting a wide range of customer needs whilst also maintaining existing options. It’s about making life easier for our customers by giving them a choice that suits their individual preferences.”
Neill O’Sullivan, Post Office mails and parcels director added: “We are delighted that after a 370-year partnership with Royal Mail, we continue to innovate and ensure parcel services meet the needs of customers who want the flexibility of using a locker for their parcel collection and delivery.
“We will evaluate this trial, and in particular the benefits it has brought to our postmasters and look forward to working with Royal Mail over the next few months on this trial.”
InPost UK is already installing lockers at Post Office branches, as part of a six-month trial launched in November last year, which will see the lockers installed at several hundred sites.
The UK Post Office network is one of the most extensive retail networks in Europe, with 11,500 branches. Over 99.6% of the UK population are within three miles of a Post Office.
