// Co-op launches first-ever online delivery service
// Service sees courier delivery via an electric cargo bike
// Service currently on offer from London Chelsea store with plans to roll it out further
The Co-op has unveiled a brand new online delivery service that uses electric cargo bikes.
It’s the first time the grocery retailer has offered online deliveries via a dedicated website, and orders will initially be fulfilled using the electric bikes, which are human powered but feature a zero-emission electric motor for assistance.
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The Co-op said a courier delivers the items within two hours for a standard £5 charge on a minimum £15 spend.
The service will initially be available to shoppers within a four kilometre radius of a store on the Kings Road in London’s Chelsea, before being rolled out to a further eight London stores.
The retailer added that there are plans to make online shopping available in a number of UK towns and cities.
“As the leaders in convenience shopping, we want to look at different ways of bringing our award-winning products closer to shoppers, and this new service does exactly that,” Co-op head of food digital Chris Conway said.
James FitzGerald, managing director of e-cargobikes.com, said: “We are thrilled that a highly respected national brand like Co-op are demonstrating environmental leadership by launching their online delivery service using e-cargobikes.
“We are re-imagining grocery deliveries and exploring a more sustainable transport system with our e-cargobikes that can do the same job as a van while requiring a fraction of the energy.”
The Co-op said it was considering a number of different home delivery schemes.
It recently announced a free taxi grocery delivery service at eight stores around the UK.
It is also trialling the use of robots in Milton Keynes to make small deliveries from a local store.
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