Swedish grocery retailer ICA is using robots from Estonian firm Cleveron to deliver parcels from stores across the country.

ICA is using Cleveron’s technology to automate manual pick-up points in its stores. The pilot project between ICA and Cleveron finished in April 2022 and, by the start of 2024, the companies had automated 75 in-store pick-up points.

This collaboration marks a stride towards achieving more efficient and sustainable parcel delivery in Sweden. Leveraging Cleveron’s robotic technology, ICA wants to improve customer experience and operational efficiency. This automation frees up the workforce for more meaningful tasks.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with ICA, a leader in the Swedish grocery sector, to redefine the parcel delivery landscape,” said Cleveron board member Ott Pabut. “Our innovative robotic technology, integrated into ICA’s network, is not just about automation, it’s about revolutionising customer service and store operations. This partnership is a leap forward in our mission to make parcel handover more efficient, customer-friendly and sustainable. It’s an exciting era for retail logistics and, together with ICA, we are setting new benchmarks in the industry.”

Per Carlén, business manager at ICA, added: “At ICA, we’re driven to simplify daily tasks for our customers, leading us to establish the ICA agnostic delivery network for one-stop convenience. Our goal is to streamline processes, enhance efficiency and improve customer satisfaction. In today’s competitive retail environment, evolving is essential for keeping our leadership position and market share. Our collaboration with Cleveron, incorporating their robotic technology into our workflow, is about more than just retaining our position, it’s about innovating for better service and simplifying our customers’ lives.”

With Cleveron, customers can have their third-party parcels delivered to an ICA store of their choosing. The technology includes parcel lockers and robotics-based systems, enabling customers to collect their orders within seconds instead of standing in a queue for several minutes and waiting for store staff to hand over the parcels. This simplifies the process and frees up associates’ time previously spent on manual parcel handover.

“As we embrace technological advancements in our operations, we’re constantly seeking ways to better serve our customers,” said Sofie Pettersson, business development manager at ICA. “Integrating Cleveron’s robotic technology aligns perfectly with our vision of enhancing convenience and efficiency. This partnership underscores our dedication to staying ahead in the market and delivering exceptional experiences to our customers.” 

ICA (www.icagruppen.se) is the top grocery retailer in Sweden, offering four store types: Kvantum, Maxi, Nära and Supermarket. It collaborates with independent ICA retailers on a franchise model; each store is independently owned but coordinated by the central organisation, ICA Gruppen.

Cleveron (cleveron.com), an Estonian tech company, specialises in parcel handover innovation, creating robotic parcel options that automate last-kilometre click-and-collect. Its products are used by retail giants such as Zara and H&M and logistics companies DHL and UPS in more than 51 countries.