Collect&Go opens collection point for cyclists and pedestrians in Ixelles
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Colruyt Group’s online shopping service launches a new city concept in Ixelles today: Collect&Go walk-in. This is the first collection point fully equipped to meet the needs of city dwellers who collect their shopping on foot or by bike. Cyclists can ride into the collection point, customers can easily transfer their purchases into their own bags or even use a cargo bicycle free of charge. Collect&Go walk-in provides a range of 15,000 products to the neighbourhood and will be tested extensively in the coming months. On Wednesday 30 March, the collection point will swing open its doors for a nice aperitif time for local residents.
An absolute first for Brussels
A first granted to the Rue Américaine in Ixelles. The very first Collect&Go walk-in, a collection point to meet the needs of cyclists and pedestrians, is opening today. A place for customers to collect the groceries they have ordered on the Collect&Go website or in the app. This is a way for Collect&Go to make the wide range of Colruyt Lowest Prices and Bio-Planet products more accessible for city people. “The Colruyt Lowest Prices and Bio-Planet stores, and the adjoining Collect&Go collection points, are now mainly available on the outskirts of town and are primarily aimed at customers who come by car. With Collect&Go walk-in, we specifically target the people of Brussels who go shopping on foot, by bike or on a scooter. The location at the heart of Ixelles makes our collection point easily accessible for bicycles and pedestrians. We indeed intend to stimulate sustainable journeys and want to contribute to more ‘soft mobility’ options in the capital”, explains Tom De Prater, Collect&Go Manager.
"This initiative is completely in line with the objectives of our Regional Mobility Plan Good Move, that wants to stimulate walking and biking for short distances in Brussels", confirms Christophe Vanoerbeek, general manager of Brussels Mobility. "Shopping accounts for around 13% of the displacements made by the residents of Brussels. Encouraging people to do their shopping in a sustainable way is therefore essential to improve the quality of life in the city. Brussels Mobility also promotes the use of cargo bikes in Brussels. This is a future-oriented solution for both private persons and professionals: half of the light goods can be transported just as easily with a cargo bike as with a car or van."
Perfect for cyclists and pedestrians
With a surface area of 75 m², Collect&Go walk-in is a spacious collection point that is specifically designed for customers arriving on foot or by bike. Cyclists can easily enter the collection point and park their bicycle while loading their shopping. A recycling point is also provided where customers can leave plastic and cardboard packaging behind. In addition, practical rolling tables are provided where customers can transfer their groceries into their bags, bicycle baskets or trolleys at their own pace. Customers can also buy cotton shoppers, bicycle bags and cooling bags at the collection point.
Last but not least, a cargo bicycle from Monkey Donkey is available to customers free of charge. "Collect&Go intends to make things easier for our urban customers, whenever we can. That is why we set up a partnership with Monkey Donkey, a sharing platform for cargo bikes”, says Tom De Prater. “Customers picking up their shopping at the Châtelain collection point can use a cargo bicycle free of charge to take their purchases home. A second cargo bicycle will have its usual parking spot right in front of the collection point. That bike can also be used by local residents, however, against payment.”
Benjamin François, founder of Monkey Donkey, is very excited about the cooperation with Collect&Go: “We want to be a game changer for urban mobility. Supermarkets can also play an important role in this. Some of the people living in Brussels only use their car to go shopping on Saturdays. Colruyt Group shares our innovative vision and our desire to help build ‘the city of tomorrow’ and is therefore the ideal partner for us.”
15,000 products to choose from
With this new collection point in Ixelles, Collect&Go brings the wide and varied assortment of Colruyt Lowest Prices and Bio-Planet products to the neighbourhood, combined with the time savings and convenience of online shopping. “An earlier test in the city centre, where a cargo bicycle took the groceries to the Flageyplein, showed us that city customers were in need of a wider range of products”, says Tom De Prater.Thanks to Collect&Go walk-in, local residents now have access to 9,000 products at the lowest prices and to 6,000 organic and ecological products without the need to leave their neighbourhood or use their car.
The delivery of goods to the collection point is also sustainable and smart. The products are collected from the nearest shops, i.e. Colruyt Etterbeek and Bio-Planet Nossegem. “For Bio-Planet we use existing transport, from Colruyt Etterbeek a bicycle courier will deliver groceries to the collection point several times a day. We work with a reliable partner whose cargo bikes are equipped with refrigerated containers with temperature control. This way, the cold chain remains intact and the quality of the fresh and frozen products is guaranteed”, concludes Tom De Prater.
Collect&Go walk-in practical:
- Where? Rue Americaine 110, 1050 Ixelles.
- When? Every working day from 8:30 to 12:30 and from 16:00 to 20:00. On Saturday from 8:30 to 13:00.
- How? Customers place their orders online, via the Collect&Go website or app, and choose the collection point 'Ixelles Châtelain'. They can collect their shopping the next day at a time of their choice and pay a service charge of €5.95.
- Who? The groceries are carefully collected at Colruyt Etterbeek and Bio-Planet Nossegem by experienced staff and then brought to the collection point by bicycle courier.