Alongside ordering drinks at their local pub, British consumers will soon be able to pick up online orders from Quadient parcel lockers as well.
The global parcel locker operator has announced that UK pub company Stonegate Group has joined the Parcel Pending by Quadient Open Locker Network as a host partner, with hundreds of new lockers to be rolled out across the country in the coming months.
Quadient has already started deploying its carrier-agnostic parcel lockers, with an initial target of installing 400 locker units across Stonegate’s 1,200 managed properties.
Stonegate is the UK’s largest pub company with a portfolio of more than 4,500 managed, leased and tenanted sites, including Yates, Slug and Lettuce, and Walkabout.
Community assets
“We believe pubs sit at the heart of British culture and support any move that can turn them into even more of an asset to the local community,” said Claire Rust, Senior Buying Manager at Stonegate Group.
“Parcel Pending by Quadient smart lockers enable people living near our pubs to easily and securely pick up and return online deliveries from a convenient, trusted location. From Plymouth to Glasgow, introducing parcel lockers to our sites is already benefitting customers and the local community,” Rust added.
Katia Bourgeais-Crémel, EVP of Parcel Locker Solutions Europe at Quadient, said: “Our vision with the Quadient Open Locker Network is to allow consumers to access lockers anywhere and ideally combine pick-up with other trips as part of everyday life.
“As established community assets, Stonegate’s pubs make natural host locations. Our research found most consumers recognize that lockers benefit their community, making the environment safer by reducing delivery van traffic and opportunities for theft.”
Preventing package theft
Already used by DHL, DPD UK, Evri and UPS, Quadient’s Open Locker Network allows pub customers and local residents to pick up and return items at any time. The lockers’ built-in ability to print shipping labels simplifies the returns process, and their secure construction keeps valuable items safe from package theft.
A recent Quadient Police freedom of Information (FOI) request revealed the cost of package theft in the UK in 2023, which has risen more than 500% in four years. In the last year alone, parcel theft has risen 57%, according to the FOI. The average reported value of a stolen parcel is £66.50. Given 11% of UK households reported parcel theft in the last year, the data uncovers a hidden economy of £206 million in stolen goods.
Quadient is establishing strategic partnerships across the UK to secure premium locations for its Open Locker Network, including at forecourts and parking sites. The firm’s UK network is part of a wider global network, which reached a major milestone earlier this year with 20,000 locker units in operation across North America, Europe and Asia.
