Based in part on Apex Insight’s work on the parcels market, UK consumer advocates Citizen’s Advice have shown consistent problems across the parcel delivery sector.

The top five parcel carriers by volumes were compared and put in a league table by Citizens Advice. This showed that Hermes and Yodel performed the worst with 1.5 stars and 1.75 stars. While Amazon Logistics performed the best, it was awarded just 2.75 stars.

When customers were asked if they’d had a problem with their last delivery, DPD scored lowest. Citizens Advice reports that 41% of DPD customers reported a problem with their last delivery, while at the top end, 32% of Amazon Logistics customers reported an issue. Across the board, 48% of people couldn’t get the help they wanted. For Yodel this was 56% and 43% for Amazon Logistics.

The Citizens Advice webpage ‘If something you ordered hasn’t arrived’ has been viewed almost 160,000 times in 2021, a 69% growth in hits since the same period before the pandemic in 2019.

The advocacy charity calls for stricter rules for parcel carriers, better complaints processes and fines from the regulator Ofcom is company negligence leads to parcels being lost our stolen.

Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said,“Parcel deliveries became a lockdown lifeline for us all, but the scale of the problems experienced by many of us shows huge cracks in the sector.

“Even though Amazon Logistics and Royal Mail top the table there’s still significant room for improvement. And Hermes and Yodel need to improve in leaps and bounds to make sure they’re providing a solid service to their customers.

“While this should be a wake up call for firms to strive to deliver a five-star service for consumers, we have serious reservations about how far companies will improve if left to their own devices. Our findings show it’s time for Ofcom to come forward and introduce tougher rules across the board for delivery companies.”