IN Brief:
- Bloq.it and Evri have signed a multi-year UK agreement covering smart lockers and dedicated returns units.
- The first installations are scheduled for East of England Co-op locations, with rollout beginning in March 2026.
- The network combines parcel collection with label printing, barcode scanning, and returns processing.
Bloq.it has signed a multi-year agreement with Evri to deploy NEXT smart lockers and dedicated drop returns units across the UK, with the first installations scheduled for East of England Co-op sites. The initial tranche covers 1,000 units, forming the start of a wider national rollout as Evri expands its out-of-home network.
The deployment combines parcel collection with returns processing in the same estate. Bloq.it’s NEXT lockers will be installed with integrated returns functionality, while the standalone drop units are intended for locations where returns volumes justify separate capacity. The equipment is configured around Evri’s parcel mix rather than a standard locker-bank format.
Each drop unit includes a built-in label printer together with QR and barcode scanning, allowing parcels to be processed at the point of deposit rather than redirected through separate customer service steps. That should help reduce handoffs in the returns flow and ease pressure on store counters and home collections, particularly where ecommerce volumes and fashion returns remain elevated.
The agreement also underlines how quickly out-of-home networks are being recast as reverse-logistics assets rather than simple delivery convenience points. As more carriers add dedicated returns capability to locker estates, the operational benefit shifts toward denser routes, fewer doorstep collections, and better control of parcels moving back into retail supply chains.
