John Lewis click-and-collect service will be available in Co-op food stores

The trial offers customers access to its next day click-and-collect service in areas where John Lewis has a lower shop presence

Employee owned John Lewis & Partners has struck a deal with the Co-op Group to launch its click-and-collect service in six Co-op food stores.

The initiative forms part of the department store chain’s strategy to leverage its supply chain and reach more customers. The trial aims to give customers access to its next day click-and-collect service in areas where John Lewis has a lower shop presence.

The six Co-op stores participating in the trial are: Angel Square, Manchester (available to Co-op support centre colleagues only); Manchester Piccadilly; Trent Bridge, Nottingham; Dulwich-Lordship Lane, London; Westhorne Avenue, London; and Hither Green, London.

Customers will also be able to return orders to these Co-op stores.

Eva Cullen, partner and head of customer fulfilment operations for John Lewis, said: “Our click-and-collect service is growing in popularity every year as our customers benefit from the ease of being able to pick up their order at a time and place which is convenient to them. We are always looking for new ways to be more convenient for our customers and to reach new customers, and the success of this trial would present the opportunity to roll out the service to more shops.

Related: Reports from the Co-op Group AGM 2019

Mark Pettigrew, the Co-op Group’s director of innovation and format, said: “It is all about creating ease, convenience and choice for today’s time-pressed shopper. This is an exciting development, innovations and new technologies are driving a number of initiatives and creating value in our communities through increased offers and services for our members and customers.”

John Lewis has a similar partnership with Booths with its click-and-collect service available in eight of their shops. Since launching the initiative last year 45% of click-and-collect orders made to these shops are from new customers.