The Post Office has partnered with DPD in its first external partnership in 360 years.
A new partnership between the Post Office and DPD will see goods delivered directly to its branches providing a faster and more convenient location for people to collect their parcels.
The ‘Click and Collect’ service will initially be available across 250 Post Offices this month before being rolled out to approximately 1,500 branches across the UK ahead of the peak Christmas period.
Customers buying something online will have the option to choose their local Post Office as the collection point for their parcels and DPD will deliver parcels directly to the Post Office and the Postmaster will process customer collections at the counter.
The Post Office, the UK’s largest retail network with 11,500 branches, previously only had an agreement with Royal Mail Group for parcel collections directly at its branches but has now opened up its network to external carriers for the first time.
Nick Read, Chief Executive at the Post Office said “Combining the biggest physical retail network with one of the Europe’s best-known logistical carriers provides greater customer convenience, footfall for Postmasters and helps people back to the High Street as Covid-19 restrictions ease.”
Elaine Kerr, DPD CEO added: “This partnership enables us to offer more options at the point of purchase, while the parcel is in-flight and on those occasions when we can’t leave a parcel safely.
“This is a significant, long-term partnership between two brand leaders in the parcel industry and comes at a time when the convenience of online shopping and delivery is more valued than ever.”
