Estonia, Markets and Companies

"Already in the next few months we will be the first in Estonia to start using Coop's e-store food lockers, where necessary special regimes for preserving food products both in warm and cold temperatures are ensured. Similar lockers have proven themselves for example during winters in both Sweden and Moscow," Martin Miido, head of communications at Coop Eesti.

The idea of the food locker is that while couriers have so far brought food to a customer's doorstep, which requires the customer to be at home at the same time, then with food lockers, the customers themselves can choose a time slot when it is most convenient for them to pick up a pre-assembled grocery bag. "One additional advantage is also that if the service area of the e-store does not yet reach the customer's home today, then food lockers can be used by all customers for ordering food, even if they drive tens of kilometers outside the city," Miido said.

Similarly to the e-store, the retail chain will start installing food lockers first in Tallinn. "As food lockers are part of e-Coop, the plan in the future is to install food lockers in those areas where the e-store is operating. At present, these are the first food lockers in Estonia and are undergoing testing," Miido said.

Coop from May started offering the e-store service in the southwestern city of Parnu and in its vicinity, thus being the first in Estonia to take the e-service away from Tallinn and Harju County. Miido said that the e-store has launched successfully in Parnu, which is why the company has already hired and is preparing to hire an additional workforce. "When we started in Parnu in May, we created approximately 10 new jobs for it, including positions for an assembly worker, logistics worker and couriers," he said.

The retail chain is planning to expand to new regions with the e-store in the future. "We are currently in the process of expanding the service area of Coop's e-store outside of Harju and Parnu counties and we will be able to announce new regions once all preparations have been completed," Miido said.

Coop Eesti Keskuhistu in March 2018 signed a contract with retail technology development company Strongpoint for the supply of the first smart lockers. Coop Eesti opened the e-Coop store in spring 2016. Coop's sales network includes 250 stores and is made up of 19 consumer associations, which have altogether 80,000 private owners and some 600,000 regular customers.