British high street retailer WHSmith and online food delivery platform Deliveroo have partnered to pilot rapid deliveries in the UK.

The exclusive trial will offer 600 WHSmith products to customers within a minimum of 20 minutes.

This will include stationery and home office items, books, digital accessories, revision guides, gifting, toys and games.

WHSmith’s store in Reading has started offering products for delivery from today.

The retailer’s stores in Cambridge, Brighton, Oxford, Leeds, St Albans and Guildford, as well as Richmond, Chiswick and Muswell Hill in London, will join the trial next week.

The partnership will complement WHSmith’s existing delivery services, which include a next-day click and collect service and home delivery through WHSmith.co.uk.

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WHSmith High Street managing director Sean Toal said: “We’re always exploring new ways to delight our customers both in-store and online by providing them with an exceptional shopping experience.

“We’re really excited to be partnering with Deliveroo for this trial, which will complement our existing offer and enable our customers to receive the products that they want and need from us as fast as possible from their local store direct to their door; whether that’s a greetings card, working from home essentials, a last-minute gift or a newly released book!”

Deliveroo currently covers around 6,000 grocery sites live in the UK and Ireland.

The company has expanded its operations during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Deliveroo UK and Ireland chief business officer Carlo Mocci said: “WHSmith is the UK’s leading stationery retailer and the top consumer choice for high-quality and popular products for the whole family.

“This partnership will further increase the choice and selection of on-demand convenience products for our consumers, delivered in as little as 20 minutes, and will create more work for riders across the UK.”

Last month, Deliveroo and British supermarket chain Waitrose revealed plans to pilot a quick delivery service, Deliveroo Hop.