Independent stores are most likely to see young women, particularly those with families, use in-store parcel services, according to new data from PayPoint.

More than 68% of people using Collect+ or other parcel services were found to be female, while almost half (45.3%) are mothers who live with their partners and children. Meanwhile, 45% of people using Collect+ and other parcel services are aged between 18-34.

Contrary to common retailer complaints that few parcel service users buy additional items, PayPoint said the data also proved that its parcel services were driving additional sales.

The company’s research showed 16.9% of parcel service users buy confectionery during their visit, significantly above the average convenience shopper (11.7%).

The same was true of soft drinks, with nearly a one in three parcel shoppers purchasing compared with just under one in four average convenience shoppers. There was little difference in categories such as chilled grocery and crisps and snacks.

Nick Williams, director of Parcel Services at PayPoint, said: “These findings pinpoint young women and those with families as a key growth driver of in-store parcel service usage. Similarly, like everyone who uses in-store parcel services, they are supporting the revenue of independent retailers by boosting footfall and ad-hoc purchases of the everyday essentials that we all rely on.

“Providing convenience and flexibility to local communities throughout the UK sits at the heart of our business strategy. This is why we have worked hard to bring a range of market leading brands and partners to the Collect+ service, most recently Royal Mail, Vinted and others.”

Royal Mail has partnered with Collect+ this year, with more than 700 PayPoint Collect+ sites offering Royal Mail drop off services in May.

Nick Landon, chief commercial officer at Royal Mail, added: “We are seeing increasing demand from our customers wanting to drop off returns or parcels they have paid for online, which now makes up more than half of our non-account customers’ parcel sales. We know our customers have different lifestyles and we want to make it as easy as we can for them to send and receive parcels by giving them the widest possible choice.

“Our partnership with Collect+ is enabling us to do this by adding thousands of additional locations for our customers to drop off parcels, with convenient opening hours including evenings and weekends.”

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