1 in 10 Brits have had their parcels lost or stolen in the past year
New research from Packaging Online has revealed that 1 in 10 Brits aren’t getting their deliveries due to loss or theft – plus if you live in the Thames Valley area, you’re more likely to have your parcel stolen here than anywhere else in the UK.
How common is package theft?
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, parcel theft was an issue in the UK. From 2019 to 2020, there were more than 2,600 “theft of mail” offences reported in England and Wales. These numbers have continued to rise between 2020 and 2021. During lockdown, 1 in 10 Brits a total of 5.5 million people — claimed at least one of their parcels was stolen or lost.
Which locations have the most parcel thefts?
UK Police data put online shoppers on alert by identifying the top areas for parcel theft. The ten biggest hotspots are:
- Thames Valley
- Suffolk
- Essex
- Kent
- Hertfordshire
- Norfolk
- London
- Bedfordshire
- Warwickshire
- West Mercia
Which delivery service are items stolen from most often?
Hermes and Amazon are the top two delivery services most likely to have packages stolen.
|
Delivery service |
Theft queries per month |
|
Hermes |
850 |
|
Amazon |
730 |
|
UPS |
190 |
|
USPS |
190 |
|
Royal Mail |
80 |
|
DPD |
50 |
|
DHL |
40 |
|
Fedex |
30 |
|
Yodel |
20 |
Which brand is stolen from often?
When purchasing online you may want to think twice before looking at these popular retailers – ASOS has the most theft queries per month, followed by Footlocker and Wayfair
|
Retailer |
Industry |
Theft queries per month |
|
ASOS |
Clothing |
30 |
|
Foot Locker |
Shoes |
20 |
|
Wayfair |
Furniture |
20 |
|
Apple |
Technology |
10 |
|
Dell |
Technology |
10 |
|
Etsy |
Ecommerce |
10 |
|
Nike |
Shoes |
10 |
|
Ray-Ban |
Glasses |
10 |
|
Victoria's Secret |
Lingerie |
10 |
'Many consumers opt for discreet packaging as a means to keep gifts a surprise from loved ones. But simple delivery packaging holds utility beyond gifting events: discreet packaging is a sensible move for those looking to avoid parcel thefts — something that's shown itself to be increasingly important as we move online for more and more purchases..
We see many clients move to printing inside postal packaging rather than on the outside for this reason. In doing so, the convenient online purchasing and delivery experience is still there, but without the heightened risk of theft thanks to the removal of conspicuous aspects of valuable postage items. This keeps deliveries safer not just on arrival at your doorstep, but throughout their travels through the delivery network.'
– Tom Wood, General Manager at Packaging Online
