Evolving with higher expectations

Since bol first became a B Corp in 2023, expectations have continued to evolve. B Lab’s strengthened standards now require companies to meet mandatory requirements across seven impact topics: Purpose and Stakeholder Governance, Fair Work, Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Human Rights, Climate Action, Environmental Stewardship and Circularity, and Government Affairs and Collective Action. “Being a B Corp is about taking responsibility, being transparent, and continuously improving,” says Dennis van den Berg, Director ESG at bol.

The recertification reflects the steps bol has taken in recent years to embed sustainability and social impact more deeply across the business. From working closely with partners and suppliers to reducing environmental impact and strengthening inclusion, bol continues to look for ways to make everyday decisions count.

Building on progress

In recent years, bol has continued to turn its sustainability ambitions into tangible results. The company is making strong progress toward its climate goals; by the end of 2025, bol had already achieved more than 95.2% of the emissions reductions needed to meet its target of reducing Scope 1 and 2 by 2030. Smarter packaging solutions are also helping reduce materials use and lower emissions across its logistics operations. In logistics, smarter packaging machines are helping reduce environmental impact by using 27% less cardboard and 60% less glue per parcel, resulting in an average reduction of 28% in CO₂e emissions per shipment.

At the same time, bol is advancing circularity by expanding its assortment of refurbished products from four to 80 categories. The company has also strengthened its approach to responsible business conduct across its value chain. Through enhanced risk assessments and closer collaboration with suppliers, the company is taking more targeted action on topics such as climate impact and human rights.

B Corp certification for Ampère

Ampère, bol’s delivery company, now also meets B Lab’s standards and mandatory requirements across all seven impact areas, which means they can now officially call themselves a B Corp-certified company.

By maximizing electric deliveries and optimizing routes based on parcel size and weight, the company reduced CO₂ emissions per parcel by 85% in 2025. To address remaining emissions, Ampère also invests in climate projects and innovative technologies for permanent carbon removal.

Bol is not the only brand of Ahold Delhaize with a B Corp certification. Albert Heijn received the B Corp certification in 2024 as well. Read more about this achievement here.

Highlights from bol’s 2024 report 
The report reflects bol’s mission to make more sustainable choices easier for customers and partners, while continuously improving the platform’s own operations. “We’ve made great progress, but there’s still a lot to do,” says Dennis van den Berg, Head of ESG at bol. “We must continue to learn, continue to improve. Sustainability is not a KPI that you check off. It’s a responsibility that we must take seriously every day.”  A number of highlights from the report are included below: 

Reducing environmental impact  
Bol is focused on reducing the climate impact of its operations through various initiatives, including cutting emissions from its logistics and packaging. 

• In 2024, 9% of items were shipped without an outer box, resulting in a reduction of 4 million kg cardboard. Bol also uses recycled cardboard to reduce waste. 
• Bol converted two packaging machines to “Folding Green Machines”, which reduce carbon emissions per package by approximately 28%. The brand plans to convert more machines in 2025 to further reduce cardboard and glue usage.  
• Overall, carbon emissions per package decreased by over 5% compared with 2023.  

Supporting the circular economy  
Bol is making strides by introducing and expanding circular propositions, with a focus on extending the life of products through initiatives like second-hand sales, product repair and refurbished electronics. 

• In 2024, 159,000 broken products were sent in for repair, of which 90,000 were repaired and given a second life (the rest were recycled). 
• The brand also launched its refurbished electronics proposition, including smartphones, tablets, laptops and smartwatches. 
• Bol is collaborating with quality partners to ensure refurbished items meet high standards, including rigorous quality checks and a two-year warranty. 
• For 2025, bol plans to further expand its refurbished assortment by adding more partners and product categories. 

Collaborating with suppliers to reduce emissions  
Bol recognizes the critical role of supplier collaboration in achieving broader climate goals, and is actively engaging with suppliers on this topic.  

• The brand is working with suppliers to reduce carbon emissions, acknowledging that 80% of emissions come from the top 250 suppliers.  
• Bol launched the Climate hub (“Klimaathub” in Dutch) to help suppliers calculate, set and report on Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) goals for their carbon emissions.  
• In 2024, bol’s largest suppliers shared information about their emissions, providing a better understanding of the total carbon emissions within their supply chain. 

Promoting social impact and inclusion 
Bol is committed to creating positive social impact through various initiatives focused on enhancing inclusion and equity. 

• The Bollebozen program aims to improve language, reading and digital skills among children. In 2024, this program reached over 800,000 children and their caregivers. 
• The brand donated over 441,000 books to children in the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname. 
• Bol is focused on increasing diversity and inclusion in its workplace, with programs like Women in Product & Tech and Women in Leadership. The proportion of women in leadership positions increased to 43.4%, and women in Tech roles reached 28%. 

Working towards a more sustainable assortment 
Bol continues to develop ways of guiding customers towards more sustainable choices.  

• The platform is increasing the visibility of products with the “Goede Keuze” (good choice) label, which helps customers identify products with significant sustainability advantages over comparable items – such as recycled materials or the Fairtrade hallmark. 
• In 2024, there were 1.5 million “Goede Keuze” products on the platform. 

For the first time, bol’s 2024 Impact Report aligns with Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) standards, offering more transparent insights into key topics such as the environment, human rights, diversity and working conditions. Read the full report here

Personalized value is a critical driver of loyalty. Each year, our brands provide billions of tailored offers to customers, enhancing their shopping journeys with hyper-personalized promotions and unique, shoppable content. By leveraging innovative technology, we’re evolving our loyalty programs to meet customers where they are – both in-store and online.

Taking a digital-first approach to loyalty
With a digital-first approach, we’re transforming how customers interact with our brands, aiming to increase omnichannel loyalty sales penetration to over 80% by 2028. We’re also transitioning loyalty members from physical cards to digital apps, targeting 30 million monthly active users by 2028. These efforts allow us to create seamless, data-driven experiences that bring even more convenience and savings to our customers.

Investing in a winning customer value proposition
Loyalty and membership programs allow us to provide meaningful savings for our customers and get relevant consumer insights that help us to personalize offerings and promotions. By working closely with our brand teams, we have developed a strong set of strategic levers to increase own-brand share towards 45% of total store sales, expanding healthy sales beyond own-brand products, and optimizing assortments and promotions. By continuously evolving our loyalty programs, we ensure that customers receive exceptional value, convenience and personalized experiences that keep them coming back.

Receiving industry recognition in the U.S.
Our brands’ loyalty and membership programs have already garnered industry recognition, winning various awards in recent years. In the U.S., our great local brands Food Lion, Giant Food, and Stop & Shop have all received the “2024 America’s Best Loyalty Program” award.

Meanwhile at Hannaford, the “My Hannaford Rewards” program has been named one of America’s Best Loyalty Programs for 2025 by Newsweek. Their list of 275 programs from various industries is based on the results of an independent survey of more than 4,000 U.S. customers.

Reaching milestones in Europe

In the Netherlands, Albert Heijn’s Premium program reached one million subscribers in 2024 – a significant milestone that demonstrates the strong demand for tailored, value-driven shopping experiences. Launched in 2021, premium membership offers customers benefits such as 10% discounts on all organic products, including it’s own-brand AH terra line,, personalized bonus offers, and accelerated savings in loyalty programs to encourage healthier and more sustainable shopping choices.

Delhaize’s SuperPlus loyalty program has become a true success story in Belgium. With over 3 million subscribers, it now reaches one in three people in the country — and the impact is clear. SuperPlus members account for an impressive 70% of Delhaize’s total sales.

But it’s not just about loyalty — it’s about healthier choices too. Through SuperPlus, customers benefit from 10% discounts on products with an A or B Nutri-Score, encouraging better eating habits. While the program used to include dry foods, the focus has now shifted to the core of a healthy diet: fresh fruits and vegetables, along with dairy, and bakery items.

In the Czech Republic, our local brand Albert recently enhanced its “My Albert” loyalty program to further strengthen customer engagement and support healthier shopping habits. New features include weekly personalized rewards, bonus incentives, a 15% discount on Nature’s Promise—one of Albert’s leading Own Brand lines—and the ability to earn credits by purchasing selected healthy products each week. The program also gives customers the option to donate their rewards to the Albert Foundation, with over CZK 1 million donated since October 2024.

Our loyalty programs – and the recognition our loyalty programs are receiving – are testament to our commitment to delivering personalized value and everyday low prices to our customers.

Claude Sarrailh, CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia: “We are excited to bring Margaret’s deep retail experience to Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall. Margaret has successfully transformed bol from an online store to a leading retail tech platform in the Netherlands and Belgium. Her ability to drive innovation, growth and customer-centric solutions aligns well with the needs of Albert Heijn, Etos, and Gall & Gall. She is a purpose-driven leader with a strong focus on inclusivity and sustainability. Albert Heijn’s mission to make better food accessible for everyone fits her like a glove.”

About Margaret Versteden-van Duijn
Margaret has held various management positions within bol. She started 10 years ago as Chief Marketing Officer and later took on the role of Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Platform Officer, holding ultimate responsibility for bol’s platform activities. She became Brand President of bol in 2021. Before Margaret joined bol, she worked for Bain & Company, Nike and BCG. Originally from Australia, Margaret Versteden-van Duijn has double (Australian/Dutch) nationality and has lived and worked in Australia, Malaysia, Germany, France, Central Eastern Europe and the Netherlands. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Systems (Business and IT) from Monash University and an MBA from INSEAD.

On the announcement, Margaret said: “Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall are truly iconic Dutch brands, rooted in society. I am excited and humbled to become part of these organisations and to work together with colleagues, entrepreneurs, partners and suppliers. To create positive impact in the lives of our associates, customers and society. As a certified B Corp we can take big steps to build a society that is not only healthier, but also more social and sustainable. Together with the team, I aim to continue the great traditions of the past and create new opportunities for the future, both for our Dutch businesses and Ahold Delhaize as a whole.”

About Maite Zubiaurre
Margaret will be succeeded at bol by Maite Zubiaurre. Maite has held multiple senior positions at bol, including Director of Strategy & Business development, Director of Marketing & Shopping Technologies and Chief Product Officer. She recently expanded her board position to encompass Technology and Data next to Product in 2024. Prior to her career at bol, she worked for BCG for 10 years in different countries, such as Spain, the Netherlands, United States and The United Kingdom. Maite has double nationality (Spanish/Dutch) and holds a degree in Business Administration from the Deusto University in Spain and the European Business School in Germany as well as an MBA from the University of Deusto.

Claude: “Maite’s expertise in strategy, product development, technology, data and marketing have been instrumental in driving bol’s growth and expanding the business. Maite's holistic view on the business and her passion for innovation make her well suited to take on the role of Brand President at bol. Maite is recognized for leading with head and heart, and I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the profound impact of her sharp intelligence and long-term vision. We’re proud of the strength of our internal succession bench to be able to fill these roles with in-house talent.”

Maite added: “I am honored to step into this new role and excited to lead bol into its next chapter. Our commitment to innovation, customer obsession, and sustainable growth will continue to drive our strategy, as we continue to adapt to the always evolving market. Together with the fantastic team at bol, I look forward to building on our strong foundation and embracing new opportunities to deliver growth and innovation to our customers and to the Ahold Delhaize family of great local brands."

Margaret will start at Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall on 1 September 2025 and Maite will assume her new role on the same date. Marit van Egmond, Albert Heijn’s current Brand President, will depart the organization per 1 May. In the interim period, the Albert Heijn management team will assume her responsibilities.

Intensifying the cooperation will enable Cycloon to scale up faster. This will optimize the synergy between the two organizations and enable bol.com and Cycloon to realize more impact in making delivery more sustainable and social. Cycloon will continue to exist as an independent brand, with its own executive board. Besides bol.com's parcels, Cycloon will also continue to deliver mail and parcels for other customers.

More information about bol.com’s and Cycloon’s strategic partnership is available here.

Boukje Taphoorn, Chief Marketing & Sustainability Officer at bol.com, emphasizes that in addition to a sense of pride, the B Corp Certification sets a new standard for the future: "Of course it's fantastic that we are getting recognition in this way for our more sustainable choices and the social steps we have already taken so far. But we do not see certification as an end in itself. With the B Corp Certification, we are making a commitment for the future to continuously increase our positive impact on society. In addition, the certification process makes us even more aware of our impact on the earth. As one of the largest e-commerce platforms in the Netherlands and Belgium, we believe it is important to contribute to making more sustainable choices available and facilitating more sustainable options for everyone in the chain. That doesn't stop at the environment. We also want to do so in terms of corporate culture, transparency and social impact."

Wouter Kolk, CEO Ahold Delhaize Europe and Indonesia said: “I am proud of bol.com’s  achievement. Being a company with this amount and variety of products, customers and sales partners, means that every step has significant impact. Bol.com’s commitment to taking customers and sales partners along on its journey, aligns perfectly with Ahold Delhaize’s goal to make healthy and sustainable choices easy for everyone.”

Process towards B Corp
Every year, bol.com reports progress on corporate social responsibility and the sustainability of its own processes. Today, bol.com also presented its 2022 sustainability report. The sustainable and social steps made, partly form the basis of the route to B Corp Certification. Tessa van Soest, Executive Director B Lab Benelux: "With the achievement of the B Corp Certification, bol.com has reached an important milestone. We support bol.com's efforts to encourage customers to make increasingly more sustainable choices and to help their sales partners become more sustainable. We welcome bol.com to the community and look forward to bol.com's future steps in their sustainability journey."

How bol.com is making more sustainable choices

In recent years, bol.com has been working on concrete steps in the field of corporate social responsibility. Some examples:

• Bol.com became the first e-commerce company in the Netherlands and Belgium to be certified to the Climate Neutral Standard in April 2022, and received the certificate again in 2023. The certification and annual audit helps bol.com keep a sharp eye on whether it is on the right track in reducing its footprint;
• The bol.com fulfilment center, bol.com's logistics center, has been running on 100% green electricity since 2020, generated by its solar roof with 13,000 solar panels and wind turbines next to the building;
• 23 advanced packing machines in the bol.com fulfilment center provide smarter and tailored packaging of items together, for smaller packages, less packaging material and as little empty air as possible.
• In July 2022, bol.com founded Ampère, a startup that collects parcels from sales partners and brings them to delivery services as sustainably as possible. The delivery services, in turn, bring the parcels to the customer in a sustainable way. For example, the vans run on HVO, a renewable diesel made from vegetable oils. In addition, Ampère has a dense network of delivery points, making it easy for sales partners to deliver their parcels locally;
• On its website, bol.com helps its customers make more sustainable choices by labelling products as 'Sustainable Choice' and, in collaboration with Milieu Centraal, it is investigating how the company can better guide consumers to make more sustainable choices;
• As an employer, bol.com offers a vitality program, the option of holiday exchanges and a bonus scheme.
• Bol.com is committed to equal opportunities for children in the field of reading development and digital skills through its Bollebozen program. For example, bol.com has reached more than 250,000 children through various activities with Bollebozen by 2022, such as developing Letter Fun Packages to combat the reading dip during the holidays;
• Subject to customary conditions, including approval of the Consumer & Market Authority, bol.com is acquiring all shares in Cycloon. Intensifying the cooperation will enable Cycloon to scale up faster. This will optimize the synergy between both organizations and enable bol.com and Cycloon to realize more impact in making delivery more sustainable and social.

B Corp Certification: how does it work?

Every B Corp goes through an evaluation of its operations in five areas: governance, employees, community, environment and customers. Most companies score around 50 points in this evaluation. To get certified, you need to score a minimum of 80 points. Bol.com, compared to many other B Corps, is a relatively large company. When companies like bol.com seek certification, B Lab, the independent organization behind B Corp Certification, takes an even more thorough look at all business processes. Companies with B Corp status go through a rigorous assessment every three years to maintain it.

Throughout the B Corp process, which has lasted more than two years, bol.com has continuously worked on improvements for a more sustainable and social bol.com. The process consists of several steps: a risk analysis, impact assessment and improvement and verification of the results by B-Lab. The result is the publication of the assessment that provides full transparency on bol.com's sustainability performance. View bol.com's full B Corp assessment here. The certification was achieved with 81.2 points.

Cautionary notice

This communication includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Words and expressions such as steps forward, must, targets, future, believe, commitment, to help, steps, journey, will or other similar words or expressions are typically used to identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and that may cause actual results of Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize N.V. (the “Company”) to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the Company’s public filings and other disclosures. Forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the Company’s management and assumptions based on information currently available to the Company’s management. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and the Company does not assume any obligation to update such statements, except as required by law.

When announcing the partnership in December 2021, both organizations stated that bol.com wanted to help Cycloon in its mission to substantially accelerate green and social delivery. In 2022, the transaction for bol.com's majority stake in Cycloon was completed. This created a future-proof position with strong growth opportunities in a competitive market. For bol.com, the partnership ensures that a higher proportion of parcels can be delivered by bicycle and that the online retail platform can offer customers the best service in delivery. In September 2022, Cycloon delivered the first bol.com parcel. 

Optimal synergy 
Cycloon, with its nationwide network of bicycle couriers and mail deliverers, delivers mail and parcels throughout the Netherlands for thousands of customers. Delivery by cargo bike is emission-free and keeps residential areas safe. Cycloon also employs hundreds of people with a (former) distance to the labor market. 

It was initially planned that bol.com would acquire the remaining shares in Cycloon in 2026. The parties now have decided that they want to transfer all shares in Cycloon to bol.com in the short term. Intensifying the cooperation will enable Cycloon to scale up faster. This will optimize the synergy between the two organizations and enable bol.com and Cycloon to realize more impact in making delivery more sustainable and social. Cycloon will continue to exist as an independent brand, with its own executive board. Besides bol.com's parcels, Cycloon will also continue to deliver mail and parcels for other customers. 

Key role for Cycloon 
The current CEO of Cycloon, Marieke Snoek, has decided to hand over her position as CEO. She will take up another role in the executive board. The COO, Nick Vreeswijk, will hand over his activities to a new operations director. Within Cycloon, he will remain active in an important position in operations for the last mile of bicycle couriers. Marieke Snoek: "This is the logical next step for Cycloon. We started Cycloon because delivery can be done differently: more sustainable and more social. I am confident that with bol.com we will continue our social and sustainable mission and we will expand our social impact even further." 

Vincent Weijers, COO of bol.com: "Moving towards a sustainable and socially responsible last mile is crucial for the future of e-commerce and we are working closely with all our carriers to achieve this. In this, we are continuously looking at how we can further reduce our CO2 emissions. And intensifying our cooperation with Cycloon plays an important role in this." 

Conditions and process 
The transaction is subject to customary conditions, including approval from the Dutch Consumer & Market Authority. The transaction is expected to be closed by the end of July 2023, provided all conditions are met. 

By offering this support, it will help the 51,000 sales partners of bol.com to quickly find good help in mapping their CO2 footprint, reducing and compensating for emissions and making their range more sustainable. Since 2022, bol.com's own operations are climate neutral according to the Climate Neutral Certification standard, and with this next step, the company will also help partners to become more sustainable themselves. It is expected that hundreds of sales partners will make use of this network in the initial phase.     

How the sustainability advice works 

Through Apps & Services on the bol.com Partner Platform, bol.com has already put sales partners into contact with third parties who can support them in their growth. Among other things, these parties can help with the automation and optimization of pricing or provide strategic advice. For these services, bol.com has previously entered into partnerships with third parties, such as with Rabobank for applying for financing and with insurer Insify. Sustainability support has now also been added.   

The advantage for the sales partner lies in bol.com's pre-selection of reliable parties and easier connection to the new network of advisory and support parties. Currently, The Terrace, Rainbow Collection, Vaayu, Returnless and GroenBalans are part of the network. These are parties that can help sales partners gain insight into emissions and can also provide concrete advice on how to make purchasing or manufacturing items more sustainable. In time, more parties and services will be added.
 

83% of sales partners want to make their business more sustainable 

Boukje Taphoorn, Chief Marketing & Sustainability Officer at bol.com: “83% of our sales partners want to make their business more sustainable, but many of them don't know where to start. In addition to the steps we’re taking as a company, we are happy to help sales partners with their own sustainable development. For this we use the existing expertise in the market, sustainability is a major task that we have to do together.” 

Leontine Gast, Director at The Terrace consultancy: 'There is a huge drive and need to make things more sustainable and we see that many entrepreneurs don't know where to start. What is expected of you? How do you set priorities, set goals, measure your impact and communicate about sustainability? These are complicated questions, especially when a business has their hands full with day-to-day matters. A trusted advisor who has extensive knowledge of sustainability can really make a difference. That's why it's so great that bol.com is now making it easier for their sales partners to find the right sparring partner.' 

Creating a positive movement  

Bol.com’s initiative is a good example of how Ahold Delhaize's brands are working towards a more sustainable retail system. Encouraging and supporting suppliers to set their own emissions-reduction targets in line with the latest scientific evidence is a key element of Ahold Delhaize's decarbonization efforts. We aim to play a leading role in this. We are proactively engaging with our brands’ supplier base and are using our position in the world as a food and e-commerce retailer to contribute to creating a positive movement towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.   

Season 2, Episode 2: All about leadership, diversity, equity and inclusion. 

This time, we dive deep into topics surrounding leadership, mental well-being, diversity, equity and inclusion. Essential topics for Ahold Delhaize to spotlight not only this week but always. Host Emmelie Zipson and co-host Natalia Wallenberg, Chief Human Resources Officer of Ahold Delhaize, talk to Margaret Versteden – van Duijn, Brand President of bol.com about these topics. 

Guest: Margaret Versteden – van Duijn, Brand President of bol.com 

Co-host: Natalia Wallenberg, CHRO of Ahold Delhaize 

Listen to the episode below, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts! 

Missed S2 E1 Leadership in crisis situations? Listen here 
 

Today, books with anti-Semitic content are unfortunately still available. And as people continue to increasingly purchase products through web shops and online platforms, a new approach is needed to combat the online sale of anti-Semitic content.    

Therefore, the National Coordinator for Combating Anti-Semitism (NCAB) is launching an initiative for a better and more efficient approach for web shops and online platforms to exclude anti-Semitic content from their assortment. Bol.com is a partner in the initiative and has published its vision and method (only available in Dutch) for countering discriminatory books. With this, the NCAB and bol.com want to interest more companies in the Netherlands, which deal with similar issues, to exchange knowledge and experiences and jointly come up with effective roadmaps to better detect  books with harmful content.    

Bol.com's review framework for books    

As bol.com is a store for everyone, everyone should be able to visit bol.com and feel welcome. Articles, including books, that incite hatred, violence or unequal treatment can therefore be removed from bol.com’s platform. At the same time, bol.com wants to deal carefully with freedom of expression and thereby also supports the educational and historical importance of books.    

Since bol.com is not a content expert on the topics described in books, the business has drawn input from discussions with experts on the subject, including the Dutch Meldpunt Discriminatie (Report Discrimination) to determine what may be hateful, discriminatory or anti-Semitic. 

The framework allows bol.com to assess discriminatory books. Based on a detection, assessment and reporting system, bol.com decides whether a book remains online, is given an information label, or is taken offline.  

Proactive and reactive assessment

Thousands of new books are automatically uploaded to bol.com every week, complementing an existing assortment of tens of millions of books. The new books are now proactively reviewed and bol.com uses the review framework reactively after notifications from customers or employees, for example.   

Bol.com continues to develop these systems and is taking steps to address the challenges involved, such as obtaining expertise on titles and authors and making arrangements with publishers and suppliers. In addition, bol.com continues to talk with experts to obtain advice on social issues in order to continue to make well-informed decisions in the future.    

Cycloon and bol.com want to make delivery both sustainable and more social, and by working together, these two companies are accelerating this ambition. As the delivery of parcels with cargo bikes is emission-free and helps keep residential areas safe, Cycloon's bicycle couriers make the difference in this as they deliver parcels throughout the Netherlands. Cycloon employs hundreds of people with a (former) distance from the labor market – and within the last twenty years, Cycloon has grown into the largest sustainable and social bicycle network in the world. 

Cycloon-red and bol.com-blue  Cycloon operates in more than sixty cities in the Netherlands and that number will continue to grow. The partnership between Cycloon and bol.com is visually reinforced by the fact that both brands are visible on some of the cargo bikes. The logos of these are white, and the recognizable Cycloon red and bol.com blue provide great recognition in the streetscape. At the same time, Cycloon has also developed a completely new corporate identity and will continue to exist as an independent brand on, for example, cargo bikes, clothing and other expressions.  

Watch the video here 

About Cycloon 
Cycloon is the leader in green and social delivery. Cycloon's mission is to set the delivery market in motion, so that it becomes greener and more social. Based on this mission, Cycloon took the initiative in 2016 to set up a national bicycle courier network and now delivers to more than 60 cities. Thus, a nationwide parcel service with about 950 bicycle couriers became a reality. In addition, Cycloon employs 650 mail deliverers with a (former) distance from the labor market. For more information: www.cycloon.eu   

"The reading level of children can drop significantly during the summer holidays," says Aicha Fachtala, director of Al Hambra primary school in Utrecht. "We see this happen a lot with children who do not have enough resources and support at home to keep reading. While the importance of good reading skills is invaluable: children explore the world around them, have fun, increase their vocabulary and have access to the other subjects at school. With the Letterpretpakket full of stories and puzzles, a child is unconsciously occupied with language, which helps to keep the reading level up. It is therefore extremely valuable that bol.com is making the packages available to school children." 

More reading during the summer holidays 

Many children who do not or hardly read during the summer holidays, fall back one or two AVI levels in their reading development. With the Letterpretpakketten bol.com bollebozen tries to reduce the learning gap through the summer holidays. Last year, bol.com bollebozen also dedicated itself to the reading skills of children with two activity books during the summer months.  

Annet Scheermeijer, Director of Books at bol.com: "Bol.com started in 1999 as an online bookstore, so books are still the heart of our business and we want to pass on the joy of reading to children from an early age. With our initiative bol.com bollebozen we want to contribute to equal opportunities for children in the Netherlands and Belgium. We do this together with bol.com colleagues, partners and social organizations. We find this very valuable, because reading is not only fun, it is also enormously important for development. By playing with language, children perform better at school and have a better chance of finding the job of their dreams in the future." 

The Letterpretpakketten are also for sale on bol.com. The donation via the Jeugdeducatiefonds and VoorleesExpress is made possible by the 'buy one, we donate one' principle. Whoever buys a suitcase for their own child thus contributes to the donation to children in Dutch primary schools and among families who do not have the means to buy one themselves. 

Equal chances for every child 

Bol.com bollebozen gets the help of VoorleesExpress and the Jeugdeducatiefonds to distribute the Letterpretpakketten among children with less chances. The Jeugdeducatiefonds helps to increase the developmental opportunities of children. Where lack of money is an obstacle to development, primary schools where more than half of the pupils grow up in poverty, can appeal to the Jeugdeducatiefonds. In this way, all children have the opportunity to participate. "Books help improve reading skills, but can also make you look at life differently or secretly dream away. Thanks to the Letterpretpakketten from bol.com bollebozen we can now make this possible for thousands of children who hardly have any books at home," says Hans Spekman, director of the Jeugdeducatiefonds. 

What is in a Letterpretpakket? 

There are suitcases for two age categories, from 4 to 6 years and from 7 to 9 years, with the theme "Adventure". The suitcase contains books, such as Stinkhond in Paris or an Encanto activity book, coloring pencils, a postcard set, a personal passport to color in and boarding passes to go on an adventure.  

About the Jeugdeducatiefonds 

The Jeugdeducatiefonds helps to increase children's chances of development. Where lack of money is an obstacle to development, primary schools where more than half of the pupils grow up in poverty can appeal to the Youth Education Fund. This way, all children have the opportunity to participate. Applications for the Youth Education Fund are made via the primary school, because it is there that the talents and possibilities of the children are best understood. The fund reimburses support such as homework supervision, children's coaching and applications focused on language and reading. 

About Stichting VoorleesExpress 

Stichting VoorleesExpress supports libraries and welfare organizations to implement the VoorleesExpress. Through the VoorleesExpress 6,000 volunteers are deployed annually to work at home with children who have difficulties with language, on language and reading. A volunteer comes along for 20 weeks and shows children and parents how much fun language can be. The VoorleesExpress is committed to ensuring that every child grows up in a stimulating environment rich in language. 

About bol.com bollebozen 

Bollebozen is an initiative of bol.com. We believe that all children deserve equal opportunities, and we like to contribute to that. By communicating and stimulating the pleasure of reading and stories. And also by helping them develop their digital skills. Through a range of initiatives, we are committed to providing every child with a good story with a happy ending. 

Bol.com has been an e-commerce platform since 2011 and now has nearly 49,000 Dutch and Belgian entrepreneurs selling their items via bol.com. A growing number of these entrepreneurs purchase logistics services from the company, such as 'Logistics via bol.com', in which bol.com takes care of the entire logistics process – from inventory storage and shipping to customer requests – for the sales partners. This development makes the expansion of the fulfillment center necessary. " In 2017, we put our own bol.com fulfillment center in Waalwijk into operation. The new expansion of this, allows us to continue to provide a good service at increasing volumes, both to customers and to sales partners who sell through bol.com," says Vincent Weijers, Director of Logistics (Chief Operating Officer/COO) at bol.com. "A larger floor space increases storage capacity for sales partners who have outsourced their logistics to us. For our customers, this means that they can count on bol.com's service for a larger part of the assortment, such as delivery on Sundays and in the evening, or delivery within a few hours after ordering."  

Green energy use 

In addition to more space, the expansion of the fulfillment center offers much innovation. It was built to the highest BREEAM certification (Outstanding), a method for assessing sustainability of building projects. The fulfillment center runs on 100% green energy, generated by the solar roof with 13,000 solar panels on the new section and the wind turbines next to the building. A huge shuttle system brings the many hundreds of transport bins with stock items to the right order picker at the right time. The energy released by the braking of the transport bins is also stored and reused.  

Smart Packaging

In order to be able to pack as many customer orders as possible, bol.com is implementing 14 new packing machines in the expansion of its fulfillment center. This includes five multi-pack machines for orders which consist of multiple articles and nine mono-pack machines for orders of one article. With these new packing machines bol.com can pack almost 10,000 orders per hour. They scan the dimensions of one or more articles and fold a cardboard box around them as precisely as possible. In this way, the air in the boxes is limited, less cardboard is needed and more packages can be carried in a truck. The multi-packing machine, which bol.com has been using since last year, is the first machine in the world that can pack multiple items of various sizes in one customized box. What is special is that this machine is suitable for almost the entire bol.com assortment of 41 million articles.

Reducing CO2 emissions

The innovations in the new building will help bol.com to further reduce its CO2 emissions per package. Since early 2022, bol.com has been climate neutral according to the Climate Neutral Certification standard. Together with the international consultancy Climate Neutral Group, bol.com mapped the CO2 emissions of its business processes - from the moment that articles arrive at bol.com in a fulfillment center to the delivery to the customer's door, and everything in between - and set reduction targets according to the rules and guidelines of the Paris Agreement. The emissions that remain are offset by bol.com. For its nearly 49,000 sales partners, bol.com also compensates for operational CO2 emissions.

240,000 m² of floor space

With the commissioning of the expansion, the bol.com fulfillment center now has a floor area of 100,000 m2, which is comparable to 15 soccer fields. Including the floors, the total floor area of the fulfillment center is almost 240,000 m². The expansion was designed by architects and engineering firm DENC and realized by Bouwbedrijf van de Ven from Veghel. Responsible for the mechanization and machinery include SSI Schäfer and CMC Machinery. CEVA Logistics, as a specialized fulfillment party, takes care of the staff and the daily operations at the bol.com fulfillment center.

Zaandam, the Netherlands, May 2, 2022 – Ahold Delhaize announces today that bol.com, its online retailer in the Benelux, and delivery expert Cycloon completed the transaction for a strategic partnership in which bol.com has become a majority shareholder of Cycloon. The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets has approved this transaction. Bol.com and Cycloon can now work towards the first joint delivery of a bol.com package, which is expected to happen in the second half of this year. The parties wish to jointly accelerate Cycloon’s growth and share the ambition to make delivery more sustainable and social. The current management team of Cycloon will be continued, and the existing shareholders of Cycloon will remain involved as such.  

The partnership with bol.com enables Cycloon to substantially accelerate its mission of green and social delivery, creating a future-proof position with strong growth opportunities in a competitive market. For bol.com and its sales partners, the majority stake will ensure a larger proportion of packages can be delivered by bicycle, and it enables the online retail platform to offer customers an even better delivery service.  

Green and social 

Management and shareholders remain fully committed to Cycloon’s social culture and sustainable mission to grow the organization and create new jobs. With its nationwide network of bicycle couriers and mail deliverers, Cycloon delivers mail and packages to thousands of customers throughout the Netherlands. As a result, the company is already saving 1,600 tons of CO2 annually. 600 people with a (former) distance to the labor market are employed at the company. Cycloon will continue to deliver mail and packages for current and new customers, next to delivering packages for bol.com. This concerns both packages from bol.com itself as well as packages from sales partners who store their products at the distribution centers of bol.com.  

As part of the terms of the transaction, bol.com will acquire the remaining shares in four years’ time, subject to approval of the relevant competition authority. The parties intend to continue operating Cycloon as an independent brand. 

Cautionary notice  

This communication includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Words and expressions such as strategic, aim, now, work towards, expected, wish, ambition, will, continued, remain, accelerate, mission, future-proof, position, opportunities, ensure, enables, committed, intend or other similar words or expressions are typically used to identify forward-looking statements. 

Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and that may cause actual results of Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize N.V. (the “Company”) to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the Company’s public filings and other disclosures. Forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the Company’s management and assumptions based on information currently available to the Company’s management. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and the Company does not assume any obligation to update such statements, except as required by law. 

Jori Ebskamp, lead CSR & sustainability at bol.com: "To reduce our own CO2 emissions, we have already taken steps to make our buildings, packaging, deliveries and returns more sustainable. In the coming years, our focus will be on further reduction, in line with the conditions of CNG. We also support our sales partners in reducing their emissions, for example by sharing knowledge and offering logistics services that make their processes more sustainable. In addition, we now also offset their operational emissions. Because together with all our sales partners, we can really make an impact."

Jouke Roelfzema, CO2 specialist E-commerce at Climate Neutral Group: "By receiving the label, bol.com is the first e-commerce party in the Netherlands and Belgium to be climate-neutral certified according to the Climate Neutral Certification standard. This makes them an inspiring example for the rest of the industry. We hope this will also encourage other organizations to start reducing their climate impact."

Emissions partners also included in the calculation

To receive the quality mark, an organization must have insight into the CO2 emissions of all its processes. In the case of bol.com, this means that the emissions are calculated from the moment that items arrive at bol.com in a fulfillment center until delivery to the customer's doorstep, and everything in between. This takes into account the sales of bol.com itself as well as sales of partners who sell via the platform. The calculation for bol.com includes the impact of fulfillment centers, offices and server locations, as well as energy consumption, packaging and delivery. For sales partners selling via the platform, the calculated emissions consist of an estimate of the impact of their energy consumption, packaging and delivery. The production of items by suppliers and manufacturers is not included in the scope. 

Reduction measures

In recent years, bol.com has taken various measures to further reduce its own emissions. For example, by switching to 100 percent wind and solar energy for all buildings, but also by packing items more tailored with less packaging material thanks to the growing use of smart packing machines. 

Verification of Climate Neutral Certification label by independent auditor

The reduction measures and compensation will be monitored by an independent auditor. From now on this auditor will assess each year whether bol.com is achieving its reduction goals and still complies with the Climate Neutral Group's climate neutrality standard. This way an annual assessment is made to determine whether bol.com may continue to carry the Climate Neutral Certified label. 

Convenience and sustainability  

Customers are increasingly embracing self-service and the possibilities that technology offers for this. For example, the use of self-scan and apps has grown enormously in recent years. Customers are increasingly looking for convenience: it needs to be simple, and it needs to be right. Therefore Albert Heijn, bol.com and Budbee combine their expertise and will introduce parcel lockers where customers can pick up and return their ordered parcels at their convenience without having to stand in line. This gives customers more flexibility to organize their time as they see fit. The parcel lockers will replace the bol.com pick-up points that have been found in almost all Albert Heijn stores since 2013.   

Deliveries to Budbee's parcel lockers are made in the Netherlands using fossil-free and renewable fuels. A Budbee parcel locker also accommodates 37 to 258 parcels, so the courier can deliver dozens to hundreds of parcels at a time during a single delivery. This makes the parcel lockers both a convenient and more sustainable option for consumers shopping online.   

The parcel always fits  

The first parcel lockers can be found in fifteen Albert Heijn stores in the Netherlands and Belgium starting this week. Over the next two years, this number will be expanded to 700 stores. The parcel lockers are located in or directly outside the Albert Heijn stores and consist of lockers of different sizes. In this way the parcel always fits. Customers who choose to pick up their package at an Albert Heijn store will receive a message after ordering when the package has been delivered. The message contains a code to open the safe.  

Marit van Egmond, CEO Albert Heijn: "Customers are increasingly experiencing the convenience of digitalization. We see this in the use of self-scan and the AH app, which brings everything together digitally. The introduction of parcel lockers makes it even easier for customers to pick up or return a parcel. I am proud of the cooperation with bol.com and Budbee, together we create synergy and further implement our omnichannel strategy."    

Jørgen Höppener, General Manager Benelux at Budbee: "At Budbee we are continuously looking for new opportunities to make the e-commerce sector greener and more customer friendly. Therefore, we are very proud to launch this in-store solution with such great Dutch partners. In combination with our technology, we are making sustainable online shopping available to an even larger group of people."  

Vincent Weijers - COO bol.com: "Every day customers order many items from bol.com. Of course, we want to deliver those tens of thousands of orders per day to our customers quickly, efficiently and as sustainably as possible. With this flexible, smart and scalable innovation, we have the ambition to increase the convenience and service for our customers and to further make the delivery of our parcels sustainable." 

Marit van Egmond, CEO Albert Heijn says: “This title is an important recognition from consumers for our efforts to make better food – healthier and more sustainable – available to everyone. Sustainability is a journey in which you gradually make the world a better place. All steps together make a big leap. For example, we have recently launched great initiatives to combat food waste and we have made some of our packaging circular.” 

Annemarije Tillema, Country Director Sustainable Brand Index Netherlands: “Albert Heijn has again succeeded in gaining more appreciation from Dutch consumers for their sustainability work this year, compared to previous years. An important motive behind this appreciation is the range of organic, fair trade, vegetarian and vegan products on offer. Consumers also see that Albert Heijn is taking responsibility for themes such as food waste and chain transparency. Plastic reduction, animal welfare and sustainable packaging are topics for the increasingly aware Dutch person where Albert Heijn can show even more efforts and impact. Continuous improvement is expected.” 

Learn more about Albert Heijn's recognition in their press release here (only available in Dutch).  
 

Bol.com 

Bol.com has been recognized as the most sustainable e-commerce brand for the second year in a row according to the Sustainable Brand Index™ (SBI) 2022. Last year, for the first time, e-commerce was included as a separate category in the survey where bol.com was also considered the most sustainable e-commerce brand by consumers.

Bol.com aims to achieve climate-neutral shopping by 2025, which means that bol.com wants to reduce its CO2 emissions per package as much as possible and help customers make a conscious choice with its sustainable assortment. Jori Ebskamp, lead CSR & sustainability at bol.com said: “In recent years, bol.com has put a lot of effort into reducing its CO2 emissions. And we will continue to do so by making our buildings, packaging, deliveries and returns even more sustainable. We are not only looking critically at our own emissions, but we also want to help our partners to become more sustainable. The outcome of the SBI survey shows that our efforts are appreciated by Dutch consumers, who appreciate that we are on the right track.” 

Bol.com is continuously working on reducing its CO2 emissions. For example, all bol.com buildings in the Netherlands and Belgium run entirely on solar and wind energy. And through the use of smart packing machines that customize packages, bol.com uses less packaging material and can also transport more packages by van or cargo bike. Bol.com also offers a more sustainable alternative in more and more product groups. This already applies to 60 percent of the product groups. This includes second hand items and items made from at least 50 percent recycled materials. 

Learn more about bol.com's recognition in their press release here (only available in Dutch). 

Green and social

With its national network of bicycle couriers and postal delivery staff, Cycloon sends mail and packages to thousands of customers throughout the Netherlands. The company already saves 1600 tons of CO2 annually and currently employs 600 people with a physical, mental or psychological distance to the labor market who receive additional guidance from a job coach. Management and shareholders remain fully committed to Cycloon's social culture and sustainable mission to grow the organization and create new jobs. Cycloon looks forward to continuing the delivery of mail and packages for current and new customers, as well as delivering packages for bol.com, after the completion of the transaction. This will include packages from bol.com itself as well as packages from sales partners who store their items in the distribution centers of bol.com.

Marieke Snoek, Managing Director Cycloon: "The partnership with bol.com gives us the opportunity to make an impact on a much larger scale. We will continue to invest in our people, network and partners and this will enable us to improve and further expand the services we provide to our current and new customers. In doing so, we discussed at length the principles we stand for and continue to stand for as organizations."

Accelerate sustainable and flexible delivery

Bol.com has ambitious sustainability goals and the collaboration with Cycloon contributes substantially to this. Vincent Weijers, Director of Logistics & Operations (COO) at bol.com: "We are huge believers in Cycloon’s sustainable and social mission. At the same time, it is an unique opportunity for bol.com and its sales partners to accelerate the sustainability of our growing parcel delivery business and expand our delivery capacity. Next to that, we can further improve the convenience and service for our customers with flexible and smart delivery. Moving towards a sustainable and socially responsible last mile is crucial for the future of e-commerce and we will continue to work with all our delivery partners to make this happen. With a majority stake in Cycloon, we are taking another step towards our stated ambition of reducing our direct footprint to 0 grams of CO2 emissions per package by 2025."

Wouter Kolk, CEO Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia, said, “I am proud of the strategic partnership we have accomplished together. It gives both organizations the opportunity to grow in a sustainable way. Investing in and improving the so-called 'last mile' of the delivery of online orders, and making it more sustainable, sits high on the agenda within our strategy. Working with Cycloon can contribute to having bol.com customers shop however, whenever and wherever they would like."

Terms and process

The transaction is subject to customary conditions, including approval from the relevant authorities, coordination with trade unions and advice from the works council. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2022, provided all conditions are met. Four years after the transaction, bol.com will acquire the remaining shares. Cycloon will then also continue to exist as an independent brand.

Cautionary notice

This communication includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Words and expressions such strategic, will, intend, ambition, continue(d)/(ing), remain(s), expect(ed), 2022, subject to, future-proof, opportunities, ensures, committed, mission, looks forward, impact, to improve, further, ambitious, goals, moving towards, future, step towards, by, 2025, would, conditions or other similar words or expressions are typically used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and that may cause actual results of Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize N.V. (the “Company”) to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the Company’s public filings and other disclosures. Forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the Company’s management and assumptions based on information currently available to the Company’s management. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and the Company does not assume any obligation to update such statements, except as required by law.

Margaret Versteden - van Duijn (45) has held various management board positions within bol.com. She started 6 years ago as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), after which she managed the commercial department as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Last year she took on the new management board position of Chief Platform Officer, where she became ultimately responsible for bol.com’s platform activities. Before Margaret joined bol.com, she worked for Bain & Company, Nike and BCG, among others. Margaret grew up in Australia and has been living in the Netherlands since 2000, together with her husband and kids.

Margaret Versteden – van Duijn: “I consider it an honor and a fantastic opportunity to take over the leadership of this great organization. In 22 years, bol.com has grown from the first online bookstore in Europe into a platform where 47,000 sales partners sell millions of articles to our customers, more than 12.5 million Dutch and Belgians. This development was made possible thanks to a strong and driven bol.com team that has grown to 2,500 people today. The coming years will also revolve around growth and the further development of our platform.”

20 years of bol.com

Huub Vermeulen (57) got involved with bol.com in 1999 as Managing Director of fulfilment company Docdata (now Ingram Micro), with which bol.com has worked ever since. In 2001, Huub joined bol.com as Director Operations & Fulfillment (COO) and he became Brand President four years ago.

Huub Vermeulen: “The decision to leave bol.com was not an easy one. But after 20 years at bol.com, I feel the need for a better work-life balance. In addition, I want to create the opportunity to assist other entrepreneurs in a non-executive role. Now feels like the right time to take this step, knowing that I will leave behind a great company and a great team. From the very first day that I got to know bol.com as an organization, I was captivated by the enormous drive, innovative spirit and ambitious mission of the people there. It has been an unforgettable adventure to be part of this company practically from the start. I want to express my gratitude to the people at bol.com for the inspiration and energy they have given me each day again, and to the Ahold Delhaize colleagues for their trust and collaboration.”

European Leadership Team

Wouter Kolk, CEO Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia: “It is with great confidence that we can announce this step within bol.com. Huub was an outstanding Brand President, with a clear vision and always focused on moving bol.com and with it Ahold Delhaize forward. I am proud that we can nominate Margaret as his successor. With her knowledge and experience at bol.com, she is a natural and ambitious successor. Upon approval, Margaret will also become part of my European Leadership Team, where she will have a key role part in accelerating further cooperation within the European brands. I would like to thank Huub for his dedication and give a warm welcome to Margaret in her new role!”

Management board bol.com

As of November 1, 2021, the bol.com management board consists of Margaret Versteden – van Duijn (Brand President), Boukje Taphoorn (Chief Marketing Officer), Ellen Coopmans (Chief People Officer), Gert-Jan Janssen (Chief Financial Officer), Jurrie van Rooijen (Chief Technology Officer), Oscar Hundman (Chief Commercial Officer) and Vincent Weijers (Chief Operational Officer). For the current role of Margaret, Chief Platform Officer, a successor will be sought.

Margaret’s appointment as Brand President of bol.com is subject to the advice of bol.com’s workers council. Huub will remain with bol.com in an advisory role in the background until the end of 2021.

About bol.com

In 1999 bol.com was founded in the Netherlands from a construction site in Vianen. It was Europe's first online bookstore. More than 20 years later, bol.com is the largest online retail platform in the Benelux, and has expanded the range of books to millions of products in dozens of product categories, with a focus on non-food. From the very beginning, bol.com has had the ambition to improve retail every day. They now do this together with 47,000 local entrepreneurs who sell via bol.com to their customers, more than 12.5 million Dutch and Belgians. Bol.com believes in the power of collaboration, because only together with partners they can offer our customers the best shopping (experience). As a 'shop for all of us', everyone should be able to turn to bol.com. The company understands its customers and are there for them, wherever and whenever. They always offer convenience, reliability and choice. This is how bol.com changes retail together to make everyday life easier.

Bol.com employs 2,500 people who work at the head office in Utrecht, The Netherlands, and at an office in Antwerp, Belgium. Since 2012, bol.com is part of Ahold Delhaize.

Cautionary notice

This communication includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Words and expressions such as opportunity, coming years, growth, development, step, want, will, sought or other similar words or expressions are typically used to identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and that may cause actual results of Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize N.V. (the “Company”) to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the Company’s public filings and other disclosures. Forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the Company’s management and assumptions based on information currently available to the Company’s management. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and the Company does not assume any obligation to update such statements, except as required by law.

Margaret Versteden, Director Platforms at bol.com, said, “We have been working hard for years to strengthen our service and offering in Flanders. Now we want to take the next step – to no longer just serve Flanders, but almost all of Belgium. We have chosen to do this through an app because research shows that more and more people make their purchases using a mobile device. With our expertise, bol.com is an attractive platform for retailers to acquire customers throughout Belgium and the Netherlands. At the moment, more than half of our offering is sold directly by partners to consumers.” 

As it does in Flanders and the Netherlands, bol.com also hopes to work with a large number of local partners in French-speaking Belgium and has already rolled out collection points in the region. Bol.com orders can not only be delivered to customers’ homes but also picked up at other locations, for example, in 300 Delhaize supermarkets, 58 of which are in French-speaking Belgium. 

New customers in French-speaking Belgium will soon be able to choose from millions of items at bol.com for fast and convenient delivery. Huub Vermeulen, Managing Director of bol.com, said, “In 2010, we officially launched bol.com in Dutch-speaking Belgium. Since September 2014, we have been able to serve our Belgian customers even better thanks to the cooperation with local merchants in Belgium. We would now also like to share the expertise that we have built over the past 20 years with entrepreneurs from the French-speaking part of the country, so that together we can offer a good local alternative. This contributes to our common goal: to be where the customer goes and make life as easy as possible for them.” 

The expansion of bol.com in Belgium fits in with Ahold Delhaize’s ambition to accelerate growth in the country by offering customers here an even better shopping experience, both online and offline. Ahold Delhaize is also active in Belgium with Delhaize and Albert Heijn; bol.com customers can currently choose to pick up their packages at the Delhaize and Albert Heijn stores in Dutch-speaking Belgium.

The two brands will collaborate on an online back-to-school promotion during the last two weeks of August.  Customers who spend at least €75 on Delhaize’s online shopping site, Delhaize.be, will receive a €10 bol.com digital gift card. In return, bol.com will give Belgian customers who spend at least €75 on their "back-to-school" assortment a digital voucher code for a €10 discount on groceries at Delhaize.be.  

And that’s not all – Delhaize and bol.com are already planning a second collaboration in the run-up to Sinterklaas and Christmas. This fall, bol.com will introduce a book of toy trends and inspiration for children and parents, to be distributed at Delhaize stores in Belgium, among others. 

In addition, the two brands will work together to provide a convenient service to customers. Earlier this year, Delhaize and bol.com launched a test in which bol.com customers could pick up their orders in Delhaize supermarkets and affiliated Delhaize stores in the Antwerp region.  After a successful pilot, the brands have decided to roll out this concept across all Delhaize stores in Flanders. 

Starting in September, anyone in Flanders can have orders from bol.com delivered at no extra cost in one of the 63 Delhaize supermarkets, on top of the already participating affiliated stores in the Antwerp region.  The full expansion to participating affiliated Delhaize stores is planned for November.   

Bol.com, the largest online retailer in the Benelux, is opening pick-up points in Delhaize stores across the Antwerp province. Customers can have their orders from bol.com delivered to a Delhaize location of their choice at no extra cost, with delivery time the same as for home delivery.

The new service is especially convenient for customers who want to pick up their bol.com orders and grocery shop during the same trip. Delhaize and bol.com will test the service during the summer and then roll it out to the rest of Flanders.

The collaboration between Delhaize and bol.com is the latest example of how Ahold Delhaize’s local brands in Belgium are increasing efforts to further improve their omnichannel offer and accelerate growth.

Delhaize has expansion plans that include opening around 100 new supermarkets in the next three to four years and a strengthened online proposition. Additionally, Albert Heijn Belgium will continue its expansion by opening 30 to 50 supermarkets in Flanders in the next few years.

This month bol.com will open a branch office in Antwerp to better serve Belgian retailers who sell products on the brand’s platform and create more opportunities to collaborate with local partners.