UK Gen Z Consumers Prioritise Convenience and Social Experience in Parcel and Retail Services

Research by Collect+ shows that 46% of 18‑24‑year‑olds in the UK consider limited opening hours a major frustration when using parcel collection and drop‑off services, compared with 25% of those aged 65 and over. Overall, 77% of consumers say convenient parcel drop‑off influences their decision to sell items online, rising to 89% among 25‑34‑year‑olds, while 65% would travel only up to 10 minutes for a collection point. Location is the top complaint for 38% of users, and 73% have previously used a local shop or convenience store for parcels. Collect+ operates over 14,000 locations across the country.

A separate Snapchat and Portas study, "The Memento Generation", surveyed more than 2,000 UK consumers and found that 51% of Gen Z prefer in‑store shopping for the experience, with 41% enjoying shopping with friends or family and 59% shopping primarily for social time. The report notes that 83% share photos or videos of products with friends before buying, and 61% would queue for over 15 minutes for a desired item. Snapchat highlights the role of its AR lenses, used on average 9 billion times per day, in making discovery a social, collaborative activity.