As European consumers have increasingly turned to online shopping during the coronavirus lockdowns, UPS (NYSE:UPS) is launching its UPS Saturday Standard® service this month across eight of Europe’s top e-commerce markets: the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Poland. This new delivery service offers businesses of all sizes, particularly smaller online retailers, a reliable and cost-effective option to reach their customers at the weekend.

　　“The pandemic has accelerated the growth of e-commerce, with online retail sales in Europe growing by more than 60% at the height of lockdowns in mid-April,” said Lou Rivieccio, president, UPS Europe. “Introducing Saturday deliveries for UPS Standard is one way that we’re helping businesses adjust to the new environment, by offering them the services they need to meet their customers’ expectations. Online retailers can now benefit from cross-border Saturday deliveries with UPS, reaching about 80% of the population in eight key European e-commerce markets.”

　　While weekend deliveries normally come with a surcharge, UPS is the only carrier consistently offering a Saturday delivery option at the normal weekday cost when shipping to one of more than 17,000 UPS Access Point locations in Europe’s top eight e-commerce markets. UPS Access Point locations are local businesses, such as neiorhood convenience stores with extended evening and weekend hours, giving customers the flexibility to pick up their parcels when it suits their schedule. The new service complements existing UPS Express Saturday deliveries, which now benefit from a pre-noon delivery.

　　UPS has recently invested $2 billion in enhancing its network in Europe, enabling it to provide businesses faster and more efficient connections to their customers in 220 countries and territories. As a result of this investment, customers can now reach more than 80% of Europe’s population within two business days using UPS Standard.