From pulling pints to pulling in punters with parcel lockers

The e-commerce industry is booming with sales growing every year[i]. As our buying habits have rapidly shifted online, this has transformed the way we shop and live, with our unsatiable demand for convenience now sitting very much at the heart of our daily decision making. These ever-growing trends present operators with exciting new opportunities to evolve their existing offering with innovative new services, such as parcel lockers, that will attract new customers, grow sales and boost profits with minimum effort.

Rising demand for out-of-home delivery

With UK shopping habits continuing to shift towards online purchasing and on-demand services now the norm, consumers are increasingly seeking out delivery solutions that offer enhanced convenience, speed and affordability[ii]. This is especially true of Gen Z and Millennials who have grown up in the age of the internet and increasingly adopt an online first approach to their purchasing habits. Not only are these digital savvy shoppers boosting their online buying, but they’re also looking to out-of-home delivery to meet their growing needs for quick and cheap delivery solutions that easily fit in with their busy lifestyles[iii].

This shopping evolution presents a unique opportunity for forward-thinking hospitality operators who are looking for new ways to support their local communities and drive fresh footfall into their outlets. As habits continue to shift, adding new services that cater to these evolving consumer expectations can provide lucrative opportunities to boost footfall and profits by attracting new audiences to a venue.

Creating new reasons to visit

Offering services like parcel lockers on site can allow operators to do just that. The popularity of parcel lockers is surging with more than half of UK consumers already using them, a figure that rises to 71% for Gen Z and 67% of Millennials[iv]. With these younger generations increasingly opting for no-low alcohol options, or not drinking alcohol whatsoever[v], lockers present an exciting opportunity for operators to look beyond traditional offerings to get these key consumers to and through the door.

Hosting lockers on site gives consumers yet another reason to visit a venue. This can unlock a whole new audience of potential customers who may not have visited before, or even knew the venue was there. Once they’ve discovered the site when using the locker, that destination is put front of mind for future, driving new footfall to the location. Over time, that fresh footfall can turn into fresh sales as they stop in to buy a drink or have a bite to eat when they’re dropping off or picking up a parcel.

Thanks to their popularity, parcel lockers are now popping up all over the UK and have already become a common fixture at retail outlets where they have demonstrated the great potential for generating additional income. In fact, figures show that nearly 3 in 4 locker users visit a nearby store when using a locker, with a third buying something when they do[vi].

This is exactly what InPost retail locker host, Bay Bashir has found since having lockers installed, as he explains: “They bring new customers to our door and drive incremental sales so it’s great for business. Even if they don’t visit the first time, it means they know you’re there when they next visit and you know that once they’ve been to use the lockers, they’ll be returning.”

This trend has great potential to be mirrored in hospitality venues, enabling operators to transform regular parcel pick-ups into in-outlet sales, presenting significant opportunities with zero investment or hassle involved.

A delivery hub for the local community

It goes without saying that attracting new customers and driving sales is paramount for any operator, but adding a service like parcel lockers that can benefit the local community is also key. Many hospitality outlets are the beating heart of the communities they serve, with the support they offer extending far beyond the traditional food and drink offering. Hosting lockers at hospitality venues allows operators to enhance their support for the local area with delivery solutions that are accessible and secure, further building their reputation as a central hub for the community.

InPost Lockers are available 24/7, ensuring they fit in with even the most hectic of schedules, and couldn’t be easier to use. Equipped with technology that pairs with the InPost app, the lockers allow for secure, label-free deliveries for both sending and receiving parcels, providing a seamless user experience that will see customers returning again and again. At pub landlord locations where they’ve been installed, 91% of users said that the locker was their main reason for the visit[vii], demonstrating their powerful potential for attracting a whole new audience of customers.

Turn unused space into income

As well as providing the opportunity to boost footfall and in-outlet sales, hosting InPost Lockers provides even more benefits for hospitality operators. We pay our locker hosts rent for the space used, generating a guaranteed regular income, and we fully manage the installation and take care of any maintenance required. Also, given the self-service nature of the lockers, there is no need for any staff involvement at all. There’s a huge variety of different locker sizes, and even new innovations coming soon such as battery powered lockers, meaning there’s a solution to suit pretty much any location.

In such a highly competitive market, where driving new footfall and sales is more important than ever, operators need innovative solutions that enhance their venue offering. By becoming an InPost Locker host, operators can turn their venue into a key destination and a delivery hub for the local community that will attract new customers and give them even more reasons to visit time and time again. With guaranteed rent and profit raising potential, hosting InPost Lockers is a game changing move that will transform an outlet, and its sales, for the better.

InPost’s Locker network is growing rapidly, with over 10,000 locations and counting. Thanks to its market dominating position in locker delivery, millions of consumers can now choose to send or receive parcels with the ultimate convenience they crave. The outlook for the out-of-home delivery market remains incredibly strong and we have bold plans in place to enhance our offering and locker network capabilities even further. So, get in touch with us today at https://info.inpost.co.uk/host-a-locker-ma to find out about hosting an InPost Locker at your site and start reaping the rewards on offer.

[i] Statista. (2024). E-commerce revenue forecast in the United Kingdom from 2017 to 2028, by segment. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/forecasts/477116/e-commerce-revenue-in-the-united-kingdom-fashion-by-segmen

[ii] The full Retail Economics report is available to download here: https://rb.gy/k4jp65

[iii] The full Retail Economics report is available to download here: https://rb.gy/k4jp65

[iv] The full Retail Economics report is available to download here: https://rb.gy/k4jp65

[v] YouGov & Portman Group (2025). Retrieved from https://www.portmangroup.org.uk/yougov-survey-shows-more-people-drinking-low-and-no-alcohol-alternatives-than-ever-before-with-young-adults-still-the-biggest-consumers/

[vi] Based on 2,097 InPost Locker users at Convenience Store landlord-owned locations (December 2024)

[vii] Based on 4,514 InPost Locker users at Pub landlord-owned locations (December 2024)