Royal Mail launches its own locker network

UK postal operator Royal Mail has launched its own parcel lockers to meet growing e-commerce demand, with an initial 250 lockers to be rolled out in early 2025. The first is now live outside the company’s historic Mount Pleasant mail center in London.

The lockers are exclusively for Royal Mail customers and will offer a parcel-sending service, including label printing, to support the increasing number of people selling clothing and other items on secondhand marketplaces, as well as traditional online shoppers sending returns. Customers will also be able to collect their parcels from Royal Mail lockers soon.

The lockers will provide 24/7 access in convenient, high-footfall locations, which will include spaces outside of Royal Mail’s delivery offices plus third-party retailers.

Network expansion

Royal Mail began a major expansion of its parcel points earlier this year to offer customers more choice as parcel demand continues to grow. Through partnerships, Royal Mail customers can drop off parcels at 1,000 shared lockers and more than 5,000 Collect+ points in convenience stores.

This is the first time the company has provided access to dedicated lockers available only for its customers, which will improve capacity and customer service and enable greater control over where they’re rolled out.

Jack Clarkson, group strategy and transformation director at Royal Mail, said, “With continued growth in online shopping, we are expanding our range of services for customers to make sending and receiving parcels more convenient than ever.

“Parcel Lockers are just one of the ways that we will achieve this, and with their growth in popularity, it is important that we have our own lockers to offer a modern, quick and convenient option for our customers. The rollout of Royal Mail lockers is good news for online shoppers, small businesses sending their orders, and the UK public in general.”