- Bloq.it will install its NEXT smart lockers and dedicated drop devices to enhance Evri’s UK OOH network and simplify the returns process for users
- The 1,000 units are the start of a nationwide multi-year partnership, as demand for out-of-home delivery and returns continues to grow
- drop is a new smart drop-off solution that makes returns easy and consolidates dozens of courier pick-ups into one stop
- The integration strengthens Bloq.it’s presence in the UK market and marks the first deployment of its drop solution for returns after launching it in late 2025
LISBON, Portugal (4 March 2026) – Bloq.it, the smart locker company providing end-to-end services for out-of-home delivery and e-commerce businesses, has signed a multi-year partnership with the parcel delivery service Evri, the UK’s premier parcel delivery company.
The companies are collaborating to boost Evri’s nationwide OOH network by installing Bloq.it’s NEXT smart lockers with integrated returns functionality and its new standalone returns solution, drop, in hundreds of locations around the country. The first rollout is scheduled for March 2026, beginning in East of England Co-op locations.
As online shopping and returns volumes continue to grow, reverse logistics have become a major consideration for parcel carriers. The rate of returns more than doubled between 2019 and 2025, and UK consumers returned £4.2 billion in merchandise from ecommerce retailers in 2023 alone - highlighting the need for out-of-home infrastructure that supports faster and more convenient returns.
drop is Bloq.it’s dedicated returns solution, designed to operate either as a modular component within NEXT smart lockers or as a standalone unit in locations with high returns volumes. The locker compartment sizing is optimised for Evri’s parcel volume mix. Each drop device has a built-in label printer, a QR and barcode reader, and the same end-to-end maintenance and servicing support of the NEXT lockers.
Miha Jagodic, CEO of Bloq.it, said, “Our recently launched drop devices bridge the gap between consumers and locations for drop-offs, just as our NEXT lockers do for parcel pick-up. The drop promise is all about the user convenience. A major logistics company like Evri choosing to deploy these devices is an enormous vote of confidence in our technology and is part of our UK market consolidation efforts. Evri understands that dedicated returns infrastructure is essential to a modern and hybrid OOH network, whether as a standalone or part of a larger integrated parcel station. The combination of NEXT and drop is the basis of this network, and we’re proud to provide it.”
Liam Rogan, Head of Out of Home at Evri, said, “We have an ambitious plan to significantly expand our ParcelShop and Locker network, and are committed to offering greater delivery choices for the consumers, retail clients, and businesses that we serve. This major multi-million-pound investment will establish one of the UK’s largest pick-up, drop-off networks in the UK. Our expanding network of locations is shaping the future of parcel delivery in the UK with smart technology and greater accessibility, and Bloq.it is a great partner to help scale it.”
With drop, it takes just seconds to return a parcel, meaning users don’t need to wait in line to hand over return packages for manual processing. Evri couriers can then collect all the return parcels at once, consolidating dozens of pick-ups into a single stop. Bloq.it’s NEXT lockers simplify the other critical process in the parcel lifecycle: its pick-up. Retrieving a package takes fewer than 30 seconds using the touchscreen display and barcode reader. For business owners, this combination significantly declutters the physical pick-up/drop-off space and increases foot traffic while cutting lines.
Not all parcel pick-up and drop-off locations have the same level of foot traffic, parcel volume, and proportion of drop-offs versus pick-ups. This modular approach allows Evri to deploy the right infrastructure for each location, balancing deliveries and returns while scaling efficiently nationwide.
The Evri and Bloq.it partnership increases accessibility by enabling deployment across hundreds of locations previously considered out of reach, while optimising reverse logistics at each site. The rollout supports both companies’ long-term ambition to strengthen the UK’s out-of-home parcel infrastructure as consumer demand continues to grow.
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About Bloq.it Bloq.it is the world’s fastest growing smart locker company, providing end-to-end services comprising hardware, the Bloq.OS software ecosystem, and operational support, for logistics, e-commerce, and retail businesses. Founded in Lisbon in 2019, Bloq.it’s partners include Vinted Go, the logistics arm of online marketplace Vinted and logistics multinationals DHL eCommerce, GLS, InPost, and Evri. With a mission to make Smart Lockers an essential part of everyday life, Bloq.it is driving adoption of unattended delivery with practical, secure, and customer-centric solutions worldwide.
In 2024, Bloq.it achieved 100% year-on-year revenue growth and expanded its network adding over 5,000 new lockers - a 290% year-on-year increase. 2024 also marked the launch of NEXT, the company’s autonomous locker designed to operate anywhere, even in off-grid locations and without the need for additional power sources. Bloq.it topped the 2025 edition of Deloitte’s Fast 50 as the fastest-growing tech company in Portugal. It was also listed on the 2024 edition of Deloitte's Fast 500 as the second-fastest growing technology company in EMEA, and was recognised by WIRED in 2023 as one of Europe’s hottest startups. https://www.bloq.it/
About Evri Evri Group brings together Evri, DHL eCommerce UK – which in 2026 will be rebranded Evri Premium, a network of DHL - customs clearance and logistics specialist Coll-8 and business letters leader UK Mail, to create the UK’s premier parcel delivery company. The combined Evri Group will deliver more than 1 billion parcels and a further 1 billion business letters annually.
Evri, the core operating brand, currently delivers around 900 million parcels a year, and is on a mission to be the most convenient way to send, receive and return parcels, without costing the earth. Working with everyone from Europe’s top retailers, marketplaces and pre-loved sites to gift-givers, the roots of Evri can be traced back to Yorkshire in 1974. The business has grown over the last five decades and now has a team of 12,000+ employees and 30,000+ couriers, as well as a growing network of more than 10,000+ ParcelShops and Lockers and 500+ state-of-the-art hubs and depots. Following its acquisition of Coll-8, an Irish independent customs clearance and logistics specialist, and merger with DHL eCommerce UK, Evri Group continues to enhance its international capability and enable world trade.
Evri has 4 million independent 5-star Trustpilot reviews, an average courier rating of 4.6/5, reflecting a strong commitment to customer experience. For more info: www.evri.com/news-and-corporate