Yodel tests OOHPod lockers

Yodel is testing deliveries to OOHPod parcel lockers in Northern Ireland to broaden its service range.

The British parcel carrier has announced a new six-month trial of parcel lockers at sites in Northern Ireland. Run in partnership with PayPoint via its Collect+ network, the trial will see the independent parcel carrier utilise self-service parcel lockers from OOHPod initially at nine locations, including Lidl stores in Castlereagh, Newtownards, Shore Road Belfast, and Lisburn.

The parcel lockers, which provide 24/7 contactless access for customers to pick-up online deliveries at their convenience, will be available as a click & collect option to select via retailer’s store locators.

The six-month trial is part of Yodel’s ongoing drive to expand its Out Of Home (OOH) offering with the business already offering click & collect deliveries to over 5,500 stores nationwide via its longstanding partnership with the Paypoint Collect+ service.

It also represents a new step for the business in reducing its carbon footprint, which has fallen by 17.5% over the last six years through initiatives such as the expansion of pedal power which has seen 900,000 parcels delivered by cargo bikes.

Founded in 2021, OOHPod operates parcel lockers across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, with 300 additional locations planned by the end of 2024.

Nick Williams, Director of Parcel Services at PayPoint said: “Our partnership with OOHPod is evidence of our commitment to providing consumers across Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK with an ever-increasing range of locations and options to meet their parcel delivery needs.”

John Tuohy, CEO at OOHPod, commented: "We are so excited by this important milestone in the progress of OOHPod in the UK and Ireland. This trial in Northern Ireland allows us to further refine our OOH service offering in agnostic self service parcel lockers. It's fantastic that we are working with such prestigious partners as Yodel, a leading UK parcel carrier and their longstanding OOH PUDO partners PayPoint Collect+. All three companies are working closely together to deliver a successful trial which will lead to further expansion of our cooperation across the UK."

Liam Rogan, Out of Home Director at Yodel, commented: “We are pleased to announce this trial of parcel lockers which is an exciting step for us as we look to grow our Out of Home offering. In recent years we have seen consumers demanding more convenient parcel deliveries. Our existing relationship with PayPoint provides customers with access to thousands of conveniently located stores across the UK. Their partnership with OOHPod, provides Yodel with access to a safe place for customers to collect at a time that suits them. The trial also enables us to provide a more sustainable service. By delivering parcels to a single location in an area we can reduce total mileage across our network as we look to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035.”