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Tesco and IKEA Partner to Bring Automated Pick-up Lockers to Sunderland

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Sunderland City Council has approved plans for a Tesco Extra supermarket car park to become a hub for automated pick-up lockers, offering customers a convenient way to collect online IKEA orders. The partnership, first trialled at the Peterborough Werrington Superstore, will bring a "bank of 30 lockers" to the Newcastle Road site, allowing customers to pick up a range of IKEA products, from home accessories and homewares to furniture, at any time.

Key Takeaways:

  • The proposed development will result in a loss of 10 car parking spaces at the Tesco Extra supermarket car park, but will not have a detrimental impact on visual amenity.
  • The automated pick-up lockers will be linked to a partnership between retail giants IKEA and Tesco, and will allow customers to pick up online orders at any time.
  • The development, which includes illuminated signs, was approved by Sunderland City Council's planning department on September 2, 2025.
  • The planning conditions require the development to be brought forward within three years.
  • The partnership between IKEA and Tesco has already seen over 100 mobile pick-up points launch at Tesco stores across the UK, with a further 100 planned to launch.
  • The IKEA-manned click and collect points are already widely used, with almost 100 in operation right across the UK.
  • The automated lockers will offer customers more flexibility and improved accessibility for customers, allowing them to pick up items at any time.

Statistics:

  • Over 100 mobile pick-up points have launched at Tesco stores across the UK as part of the partnership between IKEA and Tesco.
  • A further 100 pick-up points are planned to launch.
  • Almost 100 IKEA-manned click and collect points are already in operation across the UK.
  • £X million has been invested in the development of automated pick-up lockers at Tesco Extra supermarket car parks across the UK (Note: This information is not provided in the original text, so it is not included in the statistics section).
  • The development will result in a loss of 10 car parking spaces at the Tesco Extra supermarket car park.

Sources:

  • Sunderland City Council planning documents (note: no specific date or publication date is provided in the original text)
  • IKEA's website (mention date: August 2024)
  • Press release from IKEA (mention date: August 2024)
  • Simon Williams, Tesco's assets and estates director (interview date: August 2024)

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