Bloq.it Next Locker partnered with parcel carrier Evri to expand Evri’s out-of-home network, featuring Bloq.it’s NEXT smart lockers and the standalone returns solution, drop. The multi-year deal scheduled an initial rollout in March 2026 at East of England Co-op locations and plans to install hundreds of units nationwide.
The NEXT lockers include integrated returns functionality and a separate drop unit designed specifically for reverse logistics and e-commerce returns processing. The collaboration targets growing online shopping and returns volumes by increasing convenient collection and drop-off points, reducing delivery friction for consumers.
For carriers and retailers, denser locker access can lower failed deliveries and streamline reverse flows, reflecting a broader trend toward automated, location-agnostic parcel infrastructure.
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Why This Trend Is Growing
- Smart Locker Network Expansion
- Denser deployments of smart lockers that increase collection and drop-off density, creating potential for distributed last-mile hubs that change parcel routing economics.
- Integrated Returns Solutions
- Integrated returns functionality and dedicated drop units that streamline reverse flows, opening possibilities for automated returns processing and consolidated handling points.
- Location-agnostic Parcel Infrastructure
- A shift toward location-agnostic parcel infrastructure that decouples delivery from home addresses, enabling flexible fulfillment models and new touchpoint monetization strategies.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Parcel Carriers
- Carriers experiencing reduced failed deliveries and denser pickup footprints, which encourages investment in modular locker fleets and software orchestration platforms.
- Retailers and Co-ops
- Brick-and-mortar retailers serving as locker hosts that generate incremental foot traffic and omnichannel fulfillment capabilities, presenting opportunities for store-as-logistics-node concepts.
- Reverse Logistics Technology
- Providers of returns automation and sortation tech that face demand for integrated hardware–software solutions, fostering innovation in compact, high-throughput returns units.
