Morrisons has launched new multi-temperature grocery lockers at one of its stores, aiming to speed up Click & Collect orders and cut customer wait times. The trial is taking place at the retailer's Skipton, North Yorkshire, location.
How the lockers work
The lockers, supplied by StrongPoint, have been used across Europe for more than a decade, but this is the first time they have appeared at a UK supermarket. Morrisons says the technology removes the need for customers to park in a collection bay and wait for staff to bring orders to their car.
Instead, the collection process is 'seamless', with lockers pre-loaded before the customer arrives. Shoppers enter a six-digit collection code to unlock the door and collect their items, which are pre-packed in paper bags. The service covers everything from a daily top-up to a weekly shop, with large lockers holding up to three bags and smaller chilled or frozen compartments holding one or two bags depending on capacity.
Temperature control and safety features
The temperature-controlled units keep chilled products at 3 to 5C and frozen products at -18C to -20C, while ambient grocery units are maintained at 16C. A help button in the locker terminal lets customers speak directly to staff in the store who are wearing headsets.
Age-restricted products still require Challenge 25 checks. The system flags these items to staff, and the locker stays locked until a colleague approves the order.
Trial location and rollout
The lockers are currently only being trialled at the Skipton store, which Morrisons says is a 'high-volume' Click & Collect shop with a full online offer.
Charlotte Exell, group online director at Morrisons, said: 'We know customers want Click & Collect to be quick, convenient and flexible, and our new locker solution is designed to be exactly that. By bringing StrongPoint's proven technology to our stores, we can offer more collection slots while removing the wait for colleagues to bring orders to customers' cars. We're excited to bring a simpler, more seamless Click & Collect experience to our Skipton customers.'
