Co-op has announced the launch of a 24-hour delivery service at its stores in Leeds, London and Manchester.
The UK retailer noted that the move is in response to growing demand for increased access to quick-commerce grocery delivery services from consumers such as shift workers, parents of young families, and late-night revellers.
‘Heart Of Communities’
“We focus on ease, speed and convenience from our local stores, which are well placed in the heart of communities,” said Chris Conway, Co-op’s e-commerce director.
“Societal behaviours including changing lifestyles and shift-working [are] increasing the requirement for online groceries to be delivered quickly and conveniently at non-traditional times of the day.”
E-Commerce Partners
Stores were selected for the 24-hour delivery service based on the local demographic, a concentration of delivery driver availability, and where stores are already staffed around the clock for replenishment purposes.
Groceries will be delivered through the convenience retailer’s e-commerce partners, Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats.
Gen Z Shoppers
The service comes after new research from Co-op shows that over 40% of quick-commerce shoppers would use an 11pm-to-5am delivery service if available.
This figure rises to around almost one in two consumers aged between 18 and 44, with the service most popular for Gen Z shoppers, aged 18-24 (52.3%), who are most likely to use the 24-hour service.
An estimated six million UK adults believe that the main reason that they would use the extended service was due to their work patterns or shifts.
Quick-Commerce Market
In addition to the new 24-hour service, Co-op has also extended its online availability in more than 1,600 stores within their existing opening hours, to enable customers to shop later in the evening.
The move is part of Co-op’s growth ambitions of reaching more than a one-third share of the quick-commerce market.
“Meeting the needs of our member-owners and customers is at the heart of our approach and is aligned to our strategy to grow our share of the quick-commerce market through both our own online shop and strategic partners,” said Conway.
