All retailers granted permission to offer click and collect

The government has announced plans to allow retailers to install click and collect lockers from next month without the bureaucracy of getting planning permission.

The move is designed to encourage more shoppers to the high streets, enabling them to visit more shops to collect their online purchases.

The UK is the biggest user of click and collect services, with use expected to double within three years.

Housing and Planning Minister Brandon Lewis said: “Far from threatening the high street, online shopping offers a new opportunity. How we shop is changing radically and I want to help our high streets thrive from online competition.

“Today’s measures will mean even more retailers can offer ‘click and collect’ services, encouraging shoppers to visit their businesses and pick up their purchases at a time that suits them.

“It’s just one of a range of measures we’re taking to boost the Great British high street, encourage shoppers to the town centre and get shops to grow and thrive.”

The wider package of measures also includes a feasibility study that will be conducted for a one-stop-shop offering advice to local retailers, councils and trading groups on how to compete on the digital high street.

The study will be led by Google’s UK sales director Peter Fitzgerald, and will look at the technology, training, advice, skills and infrastructure that smaller traders need to adapt to the new way people shop and use their town centres.

Ben Dowd, business director at O2 and Martin Butler, IBM’s vice-president of retail, will co-lead a workstream on the ‘High Street Digital Health Index’ to help local authorities and businesses understand how they can improve their digital capabilities.

High Streets Minister Penny Mordaunt said: “We know digital is the way forward for our high streets and initiatives like the digital index will help traders and businesses to compete more effectively.

“I am delighted these industry experts will take forward this work and am sure their advice, training, expertise and support will allow local retailers to reach their full potential.

“High streets contribute billions of pounds to the economy and the government is committed to supporting them as part of our long-term economic plan to create jobs and boost local communities.”

Source : The Retail Bulletin
www.theretailbulletin.com/news/click_collect_to_be_available_to_all_retailers_after_planning_law_changes_26-03-15/