Return to Sender: Ofcom must take firmer action on parcel delivery failures

As the festive season gather pace, more people than ever are relying on home deliveries instead of the high street. Parcel volumes reflect this shift: UK deliveries rose by 8.3% last year, reaching 3.9 billion items. Yet for many consumers, the delivery experience remains frustrating and unreliable.

Over the past five years, Citizens Advice has tracked customer experiences with the UK’s five largest parcel companies. The picture has been consistently troubling. Problems are widespread, and when things go wrong, people often struggle to get meaningful support.

Our latest findings show that 37% of people experienced an issue with their most recent delivery — the highest rate recorded in five years. Missing parcels, late deliveries, and items left in unsafe or incorrect locations remain common. Nearly half of those who attempted to complain encountered further difficulties resolving their issue, while trust in delivery companies has fallen to a record low.

Why stronger regulation is needed in the parcels market

So why has so little changed? Despite five years of data, there is no evidence of meaningful improvement in consumer experience. In this year’s league table, Royal Mail ranked highest with a score of 3.25 out of 5, while Yodel came last with just 2 stars. Since 2021, overall average scores have improved by only 0.35 stars, and the proportion of people experiencing delivery problems has never dropped below one in three.

From highest to lowest performing, the companies ranked as follows:
1st — Royal Mail
2nd — Amazon Logistics
Joint 3rd — DPD and Evri
5th — Yodel

A key issue is choice. The majority of consumers are unable to select who delivers their parcel: 77% had no say in which company handled their last delivery. As a result, poor-performing firms face little pressure from consumer behaviour, even when problems are persistent.

Ofcom has recognised some of these challenges. In 2023, it introduced new guidance for parcel companies on customer complaints handling and accessibility. However, this guidance is not being effectively enforced, and consumer outcomes have not improved as a result.

Guidance alone is not delivering an accessible market

Accessibility failures illustrate the limits of a guidance-only approach. Disabled people often depend more heavily on home deliveries, particularly where travelling to shops is difficult. Many also have specific delivery needs — such as parcels being left in an agreed location or drivers knocking louder — which companies frequently fail to meet.

Our research shows:

• 37% of disabled consumers were unable to share their accessibility needs with the delivery company

• 56% experienced a problem with their most recent parcel delivery

• 14% of those who did share their needs found they were ignored

One disabled consumer told us:

“The biggest problem is just getting companies to deliver according to my instructions. The instructions are simple: because of my disability, I can’t get to the front door quickly, so the back door is easier for me to reach. This information is stated in the delivery preference settings on my accounts with these companies, and I know the information is in their systems because of conversations I’ve had with their complaints teams.”

For disabled consumers, these are not minor inconveniences. They represent systemic failures — and breaches of Ofcom’s own rules. Without meaningful enforcement, these protections exist in name only.

What needs to change

After five years of recurring problems, the path forward is clear. The parcels market needs stronger enforcement and consistent protections for all consumers.

1. Greater transparency
Ofcom should publish accessibility performance data for individual parcel companies, as it already does for complaints. Clear visibility of the best and worst performers would incentivise companies to improve their accessibility practices.

2. Equal protections for all consumers
At present, only Royal Mail — as the Universal Service Provider — must comply with Essential Condition 1, which protects mail from loss, damage, or theft. Royal Mail has ranked first or second every year. Extending these protections to all parcel operators would ensure a consistent baseline of service across the market.

3. Standardised complaints processes
This year’s league table shows that more than a third of people who encountered problems resolving a delivery issue were dissatisfied with the outcome. Yet only Royal Mail and DHL eCommerce currently offer Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), allowing disputes to be reviewed by an independent body. Making ADR mandatory across the sector would significantly improve access to redress.

4. Enforcement to back up guidance
Ofcom’s 2023 guidance on complaints handling and accessibility has not translated into better outcomes. Only two companies have improved their customer service scores since its introduction, and accessibility remains the lowest-scoring category overall. This is now an enforcement issue. Ofcom must identify persistent poor performers and apply penalties where necessary.

Parcel delivery is no longer a luxury — it is a gateway to essential goods and services. When deliveries fail, the consequences can be serious, particularly for people with disabilities or limited mobility. Consumers deserve a system that delivers reliably, respects accessibility needs, and offers fair, effective routes to resolution.

Ofcom has laid the groundwork. Now it must act decisively to ensure the parcels market finally delivers for everyone.