A raft of retailers have signed up to a Government-backed scheme that offers click-and-collect pick-up points at polling stations.
Politicians hope the initiative might spur apathetic shoppers to vote while they collect goods on May 7.
Retailers including Asda, Schuh, Made.com and SecretSales have signed up and said they want to do their bit for democracy while boosting shopper convenience.
65% of polling stations across the 650 UK constituencies will host the lockers, branded Vote-and-Collect. Consumers will have to vote before they can pick up their items between 7am and 10pm on polling day, and any spoiled votes will lead to shopping being immediately returned to the retailer.
Shoppers can choose the Vote-and-Collect option in their online baskets and to encourage take-up delivery will be free, with the Government covering any costs.
Politicians forecast the innovative scheme will boost voter numbers to 97.3%, up from the 61.5% turnout in the 2010 election.
Public convenience
Government spokeswoman Dee Livery said: “This initiative shows we are in touch with today’s voters, who are time-poor and looking for convenient ways to both shop and show their support for democracy.
“We’ve had a lot of vacant space in polling stations over the last few general elections because no one wants to vote. This is an excellent way to use up that space, while also engaging the electorate in politics,” she said. “We hope to inspire the nation to vote by harnessing their favourite pastime – shopping.
“But we do ask that when voting shoppers thoughtfully consider which boxes they tick before they pick up their items,” she added.
Analysts have hailed the scheme as an innovative way to encourage more people to vote, but wondered why the Government is still charging the retailers business rates on the Vote-and-Collect units.
Customers who use the pick-up points will get the choice of either a signed picture of their favourite party leader or a commemorative doll when they pick up their goods.
One shopper from Sandy Balls said: “It’s a great idea, I definitely wasn’t planning on voting, but I will now that I can pick up my new sofa from the polling station.”
Whitehall officials, who have dubbed the combination of voting and shopping “vopping”, hope to draw on data from the scheme to pull together an early exit poll. For instance, it is thought that regular purchasers of quail eggs are more likely to vote Conservative.
Orders for collection on polling day must be placed by 12 o’clock today.
3 Readers' comments