The Co-op has began co-operating with e-cargobikes.com by launching a new online delivery service. The e-cargo bikes will be available to shoppers within a four kilometre radius of the Co-op's Kings Road shop in Chelsea, and will be rolled out to less exclusive areas in due course. 

It's a first for the Co-op, and it means customers will be able to get their shopping within two hours - something that diesel or electric vans wouldn't be able to provide cost-effectively. Co-op say the quicker delivery times are because of the e-cargo bike’s ability to use cycle lanes, weave safely through traffic and pass between the narrow bollards adorning many of London's streets. They can also park up right outside offices and homes, whereas parking is always a faff in vans and cars. 

The Co-op's Head of Food and Digital says: “This is an exciting time for the Co-op. As the leaders in convenience shopping, we want to look at different ways of bringing our award-winning products closer to shoppers, and this new service with e-cargobikes.com does exactly that.”

e-cargobikes.com have previously worked on a trial with Sainsbury's, and they were recently featured in Business Green’s Future Jobs Hub as part of Green GB Week, supported by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

In another high profile case of a renowned British company turning to e-cargo, Royal Mail also began a trial e-cargo postal delivery service across Cambridge, London and Birmingham which will be rolled out further if successful.