East of England Co-op partners with Quadient to roll-out smart lockers for parcel deliveries and returns

East of England Co-op, which operates convenience stores across East Anglia, has announced a new partnership with Quadient.

This will enable communities across the East to send and receive parcels via Parcel Pending by Quadient smart lockers, the first of which have been installed in the Suffolk market towns of Hadleigh and Framlingham.

The East of England Co-op, which is independent of the Co-operative Group, also operates in Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire and traces its roots back over 150 years.

The smart lockers are an important part of the retailer’s plans to expand its in-store services, with lockers also planned for Norfolk and Essex in the coming months.

Parcel Pending by Quadient’s lockers will join other in-store parcel services including Evri, DPD, In-Post and Amazon lockers. 

They come with a built-in label printer, making life easier for people dropping off returned items. 

East of England Co-op Chief Operating Officer, Andy Rigby, says: “This new partnership will make shopping with us even more convenient.”

“People’s lives are busier than ever, and I know our communities will benefit from being able to pick up their parcels while they pick up other essentials. I’m delighted that our partnership with Quadient is allowing us to meet the evolving needs of our members and customers”.

Katia Bourgeais-Crémel, Director of Lockers automation platform for Europe at Quadient, says: “This is another step on our journey to building a network of 5,000 lockers across the UK.”

“East of England Co-op stores sit at the heart of their communities, and this will be another great service to provide for local residents. We cannot wait to see the positive impact this deal will have for people across the East.”

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Parcel delivery is a key focus area for the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards, which is now open for entries.

The awards, sponsored by CADS, 3D Cloud, and Retail Technology Show 2025, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

It’s free to enter and you can do so across multiple categories.

Key 2024 dates

Friday, 25th October: Award entry deadline 

Tuesday, 29th October: 2024 shortlist revealed

30th October-6th November: Judging days

Thursday, 21st November: Winners announced at the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony, to be held at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London.