The move follows on from the acquisition in February 2012 of Kiala, a Belgian company with more than a decade of experience in B2C delivery solutions, a technology platform, and a network of more than 6,500 retail locations in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain.

UPS is now deploying this model in the UK, and plans further European expansion with Germany set to follow later this year.

"UPS Access Point in the UK combines Kiala's powerful technology platform and the integrated transport network of the world's largest package delivery company to provide convenient, reliable B2C delivery solutions and the very best customer service," said Joe Mozzali, vice president of strategy, UPS Europe.

High-street retailers can also make use of UPS Access Point technology to offer Click and Collect services to their customers. It allows multichannel retailers to use their own shop-fronts as collection points for items purchased via their online channel, eliminating the need for investment in technology and transport infrastructure.

UPS will continue to offer delivery to the customer's home and says Access Point offers a convenient alternative to this model.

Source: Supply Chain Standard