The UK Post Office network has signed up DHL Express for pick-up/drop-off (PUDO) services at its branches. DHL Express joins DPD and Amazon as clients of the government-owned Post Office network.

According to a blog on the Post Office website, “The Pick up and Drop off (PUDO) market is a key area of opportunity for Post Office. PUDO is a growing market, driven by e-commerce and the economic and environmental challenges of home delivery.” 

DHL Express benefits from its customers being able to access the extensive network of Post Offices across the UK, while for the network itself, sub-postmasters will see greater footfall in their stores with the added economic benefits associated with that.

The blog explained, “The second Mails Distribution Agreement with Royal Mail lets us work with new carriers, enabling us to start providing Click and Collect services for Amazon and DPD a year ago.” 

The DHL Express partnership starts with a pilot using several Post Offices in Northern Ireland but will be rapidly expanded at the end of the pilot period. Currently some 5,000 branches offer one or more click & collect service with the other carriers, and the state owned enterprise wishes to expand this to 7,000 by Christmas.