Ofcom has told parcel operators that their customer service must get markedly better, and says it is considering whether stronger regulation is needed to protect people receiving parcels.
Ofcom’s fourth annual survey of parcel delivery experiences found that average overall satisfaction fell to 75 per cent in 2026. It had held at 78 per cent since 2023. Satisfaction with individual operators ranged from 64 per cent to 84 per cent.
Contact and complaints
- Amazon and FedEx scored highest for satisfaction with how contacts and complaints were handled, both at 56 per cent (57 per cent in 2025).
- Yodel (34 per cent) and Evri (26 per cent) were lowest for the fourth year running, down from 38 per cent and 31 per cent in 2025.
- Evri and Yodel also had the highest dissatisfaction, at 42 per cent and 33 per cent.
- Average satisfaction with contact across all operators fell from 47 per cent to 43 per cent.
Yodel was acquired by InPost in 2025 and now trades under the InPost brand.
Delivery problems
People in the UK sent and received a record 4.6 billion parcels last year, 8.6 per cent more than the year before. Seven in ten recipients (71 per cent) had a delivery problem in the previous six months, up from 68 per cent. The most common were:
- delays (32 per cent)
- parcels left in an unsuitable place (28 per cent)
- drivers not knocking loudly enough (25 per cent)
- not enough time to answer the door (20 per cent)
Disabled people and those with limiting conditions remain more likely to have problems with delivery (76 per cent, against 68 per cent of other people).
What happens next
Ofcom strengthened its rules on complaints handling and the treatment of disabled customers in 2023. It says operators then improved their complaints processes, but too many customers are still having problems. It will give an update on possible further action in its annual postal market monitoring report in December.
Ofcom notes that when an online order arrives damaged or doesn’t arrive, the usual route to redress is through the retailer under consumer law. The retailer may then seek redress from the parcel firm.
Fergal Farragher, policy director at Ofcom, said companies “need to put customers first and improve performance, or we will consider further measures to make sure consumers are properly protected”.
Yonder Consulting surveyed 4,179 UK adults online for the research in January and July 2026.
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