Royal Mail has been replaced by parcel delivery firm Evri on a “multi-million pound” delivery contract with lingerie and sex toy retailer Ann Summers, following a retendering process.
Evri said it won the contract after impressing the retailer with its operational capacity, delivery options, sustainability initiatives and overall cost effectiveness.
The deal sees Evri handle all of Ann Summers’ business-to-customer parcels, including delivery pick-up, drop-off (PUDO) and returns. In addition, customers will continue to be offered free delivery when spending over £40, as a way of keeping the brand accessible during the cost-of-living crisis.
The announcement follows news in September 2023 that Ann Summers had hit over £100m in turnover and is planning to open more stores across the UK.
Last year, Evri delivered over 700 million parcels on behalf of many of the UK’s major retailers, serving over 12 million customers per week. The company operates a network of more than 13,000 PUDO locations, including ParcelShops and lockers, which reduces delivery emissions by around 45%.
Other sustainability initiatives include the use of electric delivery bikes, bio-methane fuelled vehicles and electric ParcelShop vans which have contributed towards Evri’s reduction in operational carbon emissions by 31% since last year. Evri claims to have the lowest carbon per parcel output of any major delivery company when comparing 2021-22 data.
Ryan Norris, Evri sales director, said: ”Ann Summers is a leading British retailer in its field with a recognisable brand and heritage which dates back to the 70s – a similar heritage to Evri which was born out of Grattan Mail Order in Bradford around the same time. We are delighted to be given the opportunity to partner with them to deliver a more sustainable, reliable and cost-effective service for their customers.”
Dan Pass, Ann Summers head of logistics, added: ”We are committed to providing our customers with the best possible experience, and this partnership with Evri will help us to achieve this by offering fast, sustainable and high-quality delivery services. We are delighted so far with delivery success rates, the helpfulness of the team and the ease of migration.”
