Residents living near a Co-op store on Earlham Road in Norwich say the shop's 24-hour delivery service is causing sleepless nights, with moped and e-bike drivers accused of slamming on brakes, revving engines, playing music and making noisy phone calls throughout the night. Staff have posted a sign asking couriers to keep noise down, but locals say it has made no difference, and some have complained to the city council amid claims licensing rules may have been breached. The dispute matters because it highlights growing friction between convenience stores' expansion into round-the-clock delivery and the quality of life of people living in residential areas nearby.

Most complaints have come from residents of Earlham House, a block of flats opposite the store, who say they had to keep windows shut during summer heatwaves to block out noise from drivers working for Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats. Several named residents described being repeatedly woken by shouting, engines idling and doors slamming, with one saying their health was suffering, while local shopkeepers reported customers complaining about the disruption too. The Co-op rolled out its 24-hour delivery scheme in cities including London, Manchester and Leeds from 2024, saying expansion elsewhere would depend on having enough night-shift staff and drivers available.