On September 26, 2024, UPS announced the extension of its UPS Standard residential delivery service to Saturdays without extra fees in the eight largest European markets. This initiative presents new opportunities for both large and small businesses, enabling them to reach up to 130 million households over the weekend. The service is particularly focused on e-commerce, where about two-thirds of global consumers expect to receive their purchases within 24 hours.
The company explains that expanding Saturday delivery is intended to become a competitive advantage, especially for small businesses, allowing them to attract a growing number of consumers who want to receive their orders even during the weekend. The service will also be available through the 40,000 UPS Access Point locations, a network of local shops with extended evening and weekend hours, offering customers the convenience of picking up their packages at their preferred time.