Holland & Barrett ebike fulfilment

Ridelogix co-founders Serhat (l) and Lili Kyuchuk-Pakyuz. Holland & Barrett began trialling Ridelogix at 10 of its London stores in May 2024

Holland & Barrett will use electric bikes to boost availability in 100 of its stores in London, after expanding its partnership with “urban” logistics company Ridelogix.

Through the “micro-fulfilment model” Holland & Barrett will use Ridelogix’s inventory management software to monitor stock levels in the stores. When key lines sell out or are close to selling out, the software will identify stores that still have the lines in stock.

The retailer can then request the lines to be “redeployed” from available stores, or a nearby micro-fulfilment centre, to be delivered by a Ridelogix e-bike courier.

Holland & Barrett began trialling the model in 10 of its London stores in May 2024. Since then it has completed 5,700 “zero-emissions deliveries” through the platform, replenishing more than 75,000 SKUs in the process. Switching from diesel vans had helped the retailer avoid 4.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions, it claimed.

“Partnering with Ridelogix reinforces H&B’s commitment to delivering what our customers need, when they need it and with reduced environmental impact,” said John Jones, H&B head of fulfilment and transformation.

“The original pilot started with just 10 stores and helped us restock faster and more efficiently, so we’re excited to be rolling it out across our wider London store network.”

Availability of key product lines had improved by 100 basis points in participating stores since the trial began, the company said.

“We’re thrilled to have a retailer who is committed to sustainability like Holland & Barrett on board,” said Serhat Kyuchuk-Pakyuz, Ridelogix co-founder and a former senior manager in supply chain at Amazon.

“Our technology turns city stores into agile micro-fulfilment hubs by combining real-time stock monitoring with zero-emission logistics.”

He added: “Traditional vans are often underutilised and struggle with congestion in cities like London. E-cargo bikes offer a smarter alternative, navigating restricted lanes and side roads while carrying up to 200kg of goods. They’re not just greener – they’re also faster and more efficient for urban retail logistics.”

Holland & Barrett is investing millions into modernising its supply chain to support its store rollout plan. It includes a major project to automate its Burton distribution centre, which will see it roll out a new robotic picking system and smart forklift technology.

In January 2024, Holland & Barrett transferred the management of its e-commerce supply chain to THG for at least the “next three years” while the Burton refit is underway.