You’ve not got mail: Online pandemic shopping boom sees rise in missing and stolen post

Over the last 12 months, Citizens Advice says ten parcels are lost or stolen every minute. Kate Ng speaks to consumer champions to find out what can be done about it

Millions of parcels have been stolen last year amid a boom in online sales during the pandemic (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Shopping online became a lifeline for Britons throughout lockdown, when physical stores closed and the number of trips people could make outside their homes were limited to the supermarket and, well, not much else.

Data from Ofcom’s annual study into the UK’s online habits found that digital shopping sales rose by 48 per cent to nearly £113bn in 2020, up from £76.1bn the year before. While the surge in online spending spawned plenty of memes celebrating the joy of receiving a parcel, Citizens Advice has revealed a darker side to a convenience many of us relied on.

The consumer’s rights charity said more than five million people have had a parcel lost or stolen last year, with ten parcels seemingly getting lost into the ether every minute over the last 12 months. To add insult to injury, 38 per cent of all UK adults – equivalent to 20 million people – received a “sorry you were out” card in the last year despite being home at the time.

In a new report, Citizens Advice also said that couriers in a hurry to make their deliveries had been leaving parcels in exposed places such as doorsteps and bins instead of waiting a little longer for the door to be answered.

In a single week, almost seven million people experienced a parcel issue related to pressure on delivery drivers, including the driver leaving before the customer could reach the door. Almost three million (six per cent of all UK adults) missed a parcel because they didn’t have time to get to the door, with the figure rising to eight per cent for people who are disabled or have long-term health conditions, and nine per cent for parents with young children.

Despite the high figures of parcel casualties, it can be difficult to get any sort of compensation. A large majority (88 per cent) of people who attempted to resolve an issue experienced challenges with the redress systems of delivery companies, while one in three said they took no action as they didn’t think it would make a difference.

Matthew Upton, director of policy at Citizens Advice, said: “When it comes to parcel deliveries, the power of choice is in the hands of the retailers, not those receiving the parcels. So when we find our parcels under a bush or behind our bins, it’s easy to lay the blame at the door of individual hard working drivers.

“But the reality is that these failings are baked into the system. Overworked drivers, no routes to compensation and a lack of penalties for poor service equals a lack of meaningful consumer protection.

“Addressing the sheer pressure that drivers are under and holding companies to account is the real way to improve this essential service for the millions of people who rely on it.”

Helen Dowdney, a consumer champion who goes by the name “The Complaining Cow” said the findings were not surprising and she hears about problems with deliveries on a regular basis. She said it often boils down to retailers using the cheapest couriers, resulting in companies cutting corners.

Addressing the sheer pressure that drivers are under and holding companies to account is the real way to improve this essential service for the millions of people who rely on it

“We have seen such an increase in online shopping during the pandemic and there are no signs of this dropping despite shops reopening,” she said.

“Instead of offering free delivery, retailers should look at adding a small cost, as people will pay for convenience.”

Citizens Advice called for an end-to-end overhaul of the parcels market and is urging the government to fine all delivery firms that lose parcels. Currently, the Royal Mail is the only delivery firm that faces a fine for lost or stolen parcels, even though 58 per cent of parcels are delivered by other companies.

In the meantime, Dewdney stressed the importance of knowing how to deal with courier problems and understanding rights as a consumer in order to deal with lost or stolen parcels.

“Your contract is always with the trader to whom you gave the money,” she said. “So the trader should deal with any delivery issues, not the courier.”

She also referred to the Consumer Rights Act (CRA) 2015, which states that goods must be delivered within the time frame agreed with the seller.

“If one hasn’t been agreed (you have agreed a time frame if the listing supplies one), the trader must deliver ‘without undue delay’ and at the very latest not more than 30 days from the day after the contract is made. After this time, you are entitled to a full refund.”

Dewdney’s final advice is to ensure you choose a truly “safe place” for couriers to leave parcels in if you aren’t home to receive them. “By providing details for a ‘safe place’ to leave a parcel, you are agreeing to it being safe. If there is a chance it could be stolen, don’t use it as a safe place!

“It has become your property as the retailer has left the item where you specified. Items should be delivered with reasonable skill and care under the CRA, if the courier has not left the parcel in your safe place and has left it to get broken or stolen, you are entitled to a full refund, including any delivery cost,” she added.