Co-op and Starship Technologies autonomous grocery delivery service is expanding across more neighbourhoods in Leeds, in collaboration with Leeds City Council.

The rollout will see 12,000 households in the Kippax and Swarcliffe areas able to access the convenience retailers groceries, delivered by robots.

This follows a successful pilot launched last November, which saw 20,000 residents within the Adel and Tinshill area of Leeds accessing the service.

Orders are placed through the Starship food delivery app and can arrive in under an hour, with customers able to watch the robot travel in real-time via an interactive map.

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Co-op ecommerce director, Chris Conway said: “Co-op stores are well placed in the heart of local communities to provide quick, easy and convenient grocery home deliveries for time-pressed shoppers – whether that is a full shop or, for last-minute top-ups and forgotten items.

“We are committed to exploring new and innovative ways to increase access to our products and services, and delighted to be able to roll-out robot deliveries to provide further online flexibility and choice for consumers across Leeds.”

Starship’s robots are powered by renewable electricity, with an average delivery consuming as little energy as boiling a kettle to make one cup of tea.

Leeds City Council executive member for sustainable development and infrastructure, councillor Helen Hayden, added: “The expansion to Kippax and Swarcliffe will mean more people in Leeds can benefit from a zero-carbon alternative to grocery deliveries.

“As a council we’re pleased initiatives like this can help towards reducing the emissions of the last-mile delivery journey.”