InPost to Open More Public Transport Station Lockers in Europe
InPost will open parcel lockers at public transport stations in Barcelona, Manchester and Rome.
The Polish company announced on Thursday (Feb. 2) that it has signed agreements with public transport authorities in the three cities, building on a successful partnership with Transport for London which has seen InPost lockers installed in more than 60 sites across the capital.
Commenting on the agreements, InPost CEO Rafał Brzoska said, “I’m proud of our partnerships with these three great European cities as we continue rolling out our environmentally friendly eCommerce fulfillment solution across the continent.”
He added that “together with our partners we’re making it easier for Europeans to choose the greener delivery option we offer, and by adding to the services available at public transport stations, we give people yet another reason to leave their cars at home. In Manchester alone, almost 6 million passenger journeys are made on [Transport for Greater Manchester]-operated public transport every day. Now people using them will gain access to a comfortable and quick way to send and receive their parcel.”
InPost’s latest announcement comes as the company attempts to grow its European locker network beyond Poland.
In Thursday’s statement, it said that at the end of 2022, it operated 27,939 locker stations globally, of which 19,306 were in Poland.
However, as the company expands across Europe, it will come up against rival operators that are more established in their local markets.
For example, in October, PostNL said that it intends to increase its network of lockers to 1,500 by 2024. At the same time, the national postal service announced that it is opening up its lockers to other carriers, marking a shift in its business model as it looks to tap demand for carrier-agnostic lockers.
Across Europe, a number of locker operators have adopted the carrier-agnostic approach. Logistics players like Sweden’s Budbee, which announced its intention to merge with rival Instabox in September, now operate thousands of lockers which can be utilized by other delivery services should consumers want.
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