Name: B&Q Click & Collect Units
Industry: Retail
Location: Tesco car parks across the UK
Project Overview
Universal Containers converted three new 30ft high cube shipping containers into branded Click & Collect units for B&Q, ready for use at selected Tesco car parks.
Commissioned by Stockport-based Cardiem, the project required robust, transportable units that could operate as compact retail collection points away from B&Q’s existing stores. Each container was adapted to provide storage for customer orders, a practical collection area and a comfortable working environment for staff, all finished in B&Q’s distinctive branding.
The Brief
B&Q was preparing to trial collection points at selected Tesco locations, allowing customers to order products online and collect them from a convenient local site.
Cardiem briefed Universal Containers to create three self-contained units that would:
- Use new 30ft ISO high cube shipping containers.
- Provide suitable entrances for customers, staff and collected orders.
- Include ramps to support easy access.
- Create a comfortable internal environment for daily use.
- Provide organised storage and a dedicated customer handover area.
- Incorporate lighting, electrics and air conditioning.
- Follow B&Q’s orange branding and visual guidelines.
- Be completed off site and transported to their intended locations.
The Challenge
The conversion needed to accommodate the functions of a small retail collection point within a compact, transportable structure.
Each unit required sufficient space to receive and organise customer orders, as well as a practical area where staff could manage collections. The layout also needed to support the movement of people and products through the container without making the interior feel restricted.
As the units would be positioned in Tesco car parks, their purpose had to be immediately clear to customers. The external finish and signage therefore needed to be consistent with B&Q’s brand while remaining suitable for regular exposure to the elements.
Our Solution
We selected new 30ft ISO high cube containers as the base for the conversions. The additional internal height created a more spacious working environment, while the steel container structure provided the strength and portability required for the project.
Each container was fitted with:
- French uPVC double doors at one end.
- Additional doors on the opposite side.
- Access ramps.
- Internal insulation and lining.
- Electrical installations and lighting.
- Air conditioning.
- Storage shelving.
- A dedicated counter and handover area.
- An orange external finish aligned with B&Q’s brand guidelines.
- B&Q Click & Collect graphics and signage.
The entrances at opposite ends help staff manage the movement of orders through the unit, while the access ramps make it easier to transfer larger or heavier products.
Inside, the containers were insulated and lined to create a clean, finished retail environment. Air conditioning, lighting and electrical connections were installed to make the units suitable for regular use by staff.
Shelving provides organised storage for customer orders, while the counter creates a clear collection and handover point.
Externally, each container was painted in B&Q’s distinctive orange and finished with prominent Click & Collect graphics. This makes the units easy for customers to identify within a busy supermarket car park.
The Result
The completed conversions provide B&Q with secure, branded and fully equipped Click & Collect units that can operate beyond its existing store network.
By completing the conversion work off site, each unit could be transported with its main internal and external features already installed.
Two of the three units were dispatched for the trial, with the remaining unit awaiting delivery when the project photographs were taken.
The finished units combine the durability and portability of an ISO shipping container with the access, storage, electrical and climate-control features needed for a customer-facing retail environment.
This project demonstrates how a shipping container can be transformed into a practical collection point that supports both day-to-day operations and a recognisable national brand.
Why Shipping Containers Work for Click & Collect Units
Converted shipping containers offer businesses a practical way to introduce collection points and other customer-facing facilities without constructing a permanent building.
They can offer:
- Off-site conversion before transportation and installation.
- Secure storage for customer orders.
- Bespoke doors, ramps, counters and internal layouts.
- Lighting, electrics, insulation and climate control.
- Exterior finishes and signage tailored to the business.
- The flexibility to relocate the unit if requirements change.
- A durable structure suitable for regular commercial use.
Their adaptable design makes them suitable for Click & Collect points, pop-up shops, ticket offices, service counters and other compact retail spaces.
Need a Custom Retail Container?
Universal Containers designs and builds bespoke shipping container conversions for retail, commercial and operational use. From pop-up shops and collection points to branded retail units and secure storage facilities, we can adapt a container around the way your organisation needs to use it.
Contact our team to discuss your container conversion project.
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