Co-op has launched robot deliveries in Greater Manchester with Starship Technologies.
The service will initially be available to 10,500 households in the region, with customers ordering via the Starship food delivery app and their groceries picked at two local Co-op stores in Sale, and placed into Starship robots which navigate to the customer’s home.
Customers schedule their delivery, and drop a pin within the app of their location. They can watch the robot travel in real time via an interactive map, and receive an alert when it arrives. On arrival they unlock the robot through the app and retrieve their groceries. Delivery fees start from 99p.
Co-op became the first convenience retailer to offer same-day robot deliveries in the UK when it teamed up with Starship – which was launched in 2014 by two Skype co-founders, Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis – in early 2018 to offer the service from two stores in Milton Keynes, serving the town and surrounding areas.
Robot deliveries of Co-op goods have since been launched in Northampton, Bedford, Cambourne, Cambridge and Leeds.
“We are committed to exploring new and innovative ways to increase access to our products and services, and delighted to be able to roll out autonomous robots to provide additional online flexibility and choice in Greater Manchester,” said Chris Conway, e-commerce director at Co-op.
Starship’s robots – which use a combination of sensors, artificial intelligence and machine learning to travel on pavements and navigate around obstacles – have safely completed more than four million deliveries globally. Its robots undertake 140,000 road crossings every day, the company said.
“We are very pleased to offer the benefits of autonomous delivery to thousands of residents in Greater Manchester from today and continue our expansion in the north of England,” said Andrew Curtis, UK operations manager at Starship Technologies.
“The robots provide ease and convenience for people, while also making a positive contribution to reducing congestion and carbon emissions. We are confident the service will be well received and look forward to a long-standing relationship with Trafford Council to hopefully roll the service out further in the months ahead.”
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