Parcel delivery firm Evri is to launch a landmark partnership with the Post Office, following a successful trial, which will enable consumers to send, collect and return Evri parcels over the counter in over 2,000 Post Office branches.
The announcement follows a trial last year of in-branch sales, parcel pick-ups and drop-offs at 50 Post Office branches. The trial saw the Post Office, for the first time in its 360 year history, directly sell end-to-end delivery services fulfilled by Evri, rather than exclusively Royal Mail.
A year later, on the back of the trial, Evri and Post Office plan to launch in-branch sales at 2,000 Post Office branches before the end of November, ahead of this year’s peak season.
Using the new service consumers will be able to pick up and drop off parcels destined for the UK or over 220 international destinations, and for the first time, Evri customers will be able to hand a parcel directly to a Post Office team member to enter address details and apply a label, rather than using a self-service device.
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Evri said the partnership will also have the added benefits of encouraging people to return to their local high street and reducing the environmental impact of vans making multiple stops to drop off parcels.
It added that, typically, parcels sent via a ParcelShop or Post Office will reduce carbon per parcel by 45% and that the service will offer customers greater flexibility since most ParcelShops and Post Offices operate longer opening hours than traditional retailers.
Following roll out, Evri will have around 11,000 locations to send, collect and return parcels across the UK, which is on par with the number of Post Office branches, with 95% of the population living in urban areas within one mile of an Evri ParcelShop or locker.
Nick Read, Post Office chief executive, said: “We are fundamentally transforming Post Office by introducing new mails carriers for over-the-counter sales for the first time in our 360-year history. This expanded partnership with DPD and Evri shows how we are disrupting the mails market to offer greater choice for customers and more opportunities for Postmasters as we build a Post Office fit for the future.”
Martijn de Lange, Evri chief executive, added: “We’re committed to delivering a high-quality, convenient, and reliable service and this partnership offers our cost-effective options, with great quality benefits such as tracking as standard, within the Post Office’s expansive network to reach more communities.
“We deliver over 730 million parcels each year and as well as offering domestic services, which sees us deliver to almost every household in the UK, our international services will be available at selected Post Office counters.”
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