Picnic will pick up returns from online shoppers

Online-only supermarket Picnic will start picking up returns from online shoppers. The Dutch grocer has partnered with logistics company DHL to handle the process.

Starting early April, customers of Picnic are able to hand over the returns that should go to online retailers to the Picnic deliverer whenever the groceries are delivered.

“The amount of parcels delivered is growing, but this way we can regulate the transport better and more efficient”, CEO Michiel Muller says. “Our delivers are already driving nearby, so they can pick up the returns at customers’ homes, rather than someone from DHL is going to make that trip.”

Pick-up service first starts in two cities

Picnic will receive a commission fee from DHL for every package it picks up, but Muller won’t say how much the supermarket receives exactly. The pick-up service starts in the cities of Gouda and Zoetermeer en will then be rolled out to the more than 100 cities in the Netherlands where Picnic is active.

Picnic brings parcels to hub, DHL picks them up

“The idea is to bring the parcels to our hubs”, Muller explains. “In the evening, DHL can then pick up everything in on go, instead of going in and out the neighborhood fifty times.”

DHL will pick up everything in on go instead of driving around fifty times.

Next step: delivering online orders?

Eventually, Picnic also wants to deliver parcels to customers. “Imagine you have ordered shoes at an online store and you will get them when you have your groceries delivered by us”, Muller explains.