Royal Mail customers can now drop off parcels in convenience stores around the UK using the Collect+ network.
The postal service and courier company announced that from today, hundreds of new locations will be made available across the country for customers to drop their packages at.
More than 700 locations are now in operation, with 5,000 more being planned to be operating by the summer.
Royal Mail customers are able to drop off packages up to large parcel size.
The service will be expanded to enable customers to collect online purchases.
Nick Landon, chief commercial officer at Royal Mail, said: “By giving our customers access to the Collect+ network, we are significantly increasing the number of locations where they can drop off parcels and giving them more options to do so during weekends and evenings.
Royal Mail aims to offer these lockers in more than 21,000 areas across the UK in the future
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“This helps us meet demand from the growing number of customers who pay for parcel postage online and is one of the ways we’re continuing to make sending and receiving parcels as convenient as possible by giving customers greater choice.”
Royal Mail aims to offer these lockers in more than 21,000 areas across the UK in the future.
The firm said the expansion follows the increasing demand from customers for convenient ways to drop off parcels, with around 50 per cent of all Royal Mail non-account sales now online.
Locations such as convenience stores and lockers have become some of the most common places people choose to have parcels delivered outside their home.
Royal Mail have partnered with Quadient to access their vast open locker network.
Martin Seidenberg, group chief executive of Royal Mail, said: “Our expansion into lockers with 24/7 access will give our customers an even greater choice of more than 21,000 locations to drop off parcels.
“We want to make it as convenient as possible for customers to send and return parcels, fitting it in around their daily routines with a range of options for different lifestyles.
“We are continually finding new ways to improve our services, including more online postage options through our website and app, 24/7 drop off at locations like our parcel postboxes, use of Collect+ stores and Post Offices, and collection from home through Royal Mail Parcel Collect.
“Royal Mail is partnering with global parcel locker operator Quadient to provide this service, which it claims will make sending and receiving parcels as convenient as possible.”
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The news comes after Royal Mail announced a hike in their stamp prices.
The cost of a first-class stamp will increase by 10 pence to £1.35 from April 2.
A second-class stamp will cost 85p under the changes, up from the current 75 pence.
