DPD UK parcels will be able to be delivered to the Post Office branch network in a deal between the carrier and government-owned company. 

The click and collect service will initially be available at 250 Post Offices from this month but will be rolled out to close to 1,500 branches ahead of the Christmas peak period. Customers will be able to choose a Post Office as an option for collection as part of the checkout process. On arriving at the outlet, the Postmaster will process the collection.

The deal with DPD UK is the first carrier other than Royal Mail the Post Office has worked with in its more than 300 year history. It has 11,500 branches and is the biggest retail network in the UK. According to the company, this is part of its commitment to ensure the future sustainability of the network and will ensure footfall at the High Street and to Post Offices.

 
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. I’m delighted that through our partnership with DPD, customers can select their local Post Office to collect their parcels and know that they are often open longer hours, staffed by a knowledgeable Postmaster and located moments from where they live.”

Elaine Kerr, DPD CEO, said: “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. It is great news for DPD parcel customers and for Post Office branches too.  Our aim is always to get parcels delivered safely, on time and provide recipients with as much choice as possible. 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.” 



There are environmental benefits to the deal too, thanks to many Post Offices being open long hours and being a convenient collection point for DPD UK parcels. Drivers will have fewer missed deliveries, reducing the carbon footprint of missed parcel deliveries. DPD has published research showing that where a parcel is dropped off for a customer at the DPD Pickup network of stores there is a 63% reduction in greenhouse gases over dropping the parcel at someone’s home. The deal will also encourage more people to keep using their High Street and further benefit local economies. 


Nick Read continued: “As a society, we are increasingly considering the environmental impact of our activities. This will mean ensuring the last mile of delivery is ‘carbon free’. Our physical network of branches helps make this a reality, encouraging people to walk or cycle to their local Post Office to collect their parcels.”

Elaine Kerr commented: “Our sustainability strategy is based on looking at every single aspect or our operation and challenging ourselves to make it more efficient by reducing emissions and miles, while improving the service for customers at the same time.  Having the option to deliver to Post Offices helps us achieve that.  DPD will provide all-electric delivery to 10 major towns and cities by the end of this year and 25 locations by 2025. With that and recipients having the option to walk to their local Post Office to collect a missed parcel, the vision of a carbon-free ‘last mile’ is becoming a reality.”