A vendor of parcel lockers is predicting that lockers will replace home delivery as the preferred delivery method among consumers in Europe—a welcome development, perhaps, for retailers and logistics service providers as they strive to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from last-mile delivery.
According to Cleveron AS, an Estonian company specializing in parcel robots and lockers, strategically placed lockers encourage parcel collection and returns from convenient sites, thereby reducing the number of delivery vehicles on the roads.
“Implementing a locker network significantly reduces the need for home deliveries,” Cleveron CEO Arti Kütt said in a release. “Consumers have shown a willingness to retrieve their parcels within a comfortable five-minute walking radius.”
The company’s projections indicate that within a decade, 80% of last-mile deliveries in Europe will be conducted via parcel lockers. This approach is not only more cost-effective but also significantly more sustainable than home delivery, company executives believe. “Battery-powered parcel lockers will play a pivotal role in driving this revolution, as these can be installed basically on every street corner,” Kütt said.
The company recently launched its own battery-powered, outdoor parcel locker called the Cleveron 354, saying it supports a grid-independent parcel solution. Customers retrieve their parcels by entering a code on the PIN pad, eliminating the need for a dedicated mobile application. The locker operator receives real-time updates, ensuring continuous monitoring. Battery-powered parcel lockers could ultimately help reduce CO**superscript(2) emissions across the entire last-mile sector by 70%, Cleveron said.
