The number of people in the UK that have experienced damaged online deliveries has climbed by over a third (37% increase) in the last year, according to a study by DS Smith. This is equal to 85 million damaged parcels last year or over 45,000 Olympic swimming pools filled by damaged parcels.
UK-wide research of 2,000 online shoppers found that they received four parcels on average with cosmetic or fundamental damage in 2024, compared to three in 2023. It comes as shoppers and businesses prepare themselves for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the busiest days of the year for retail. The poll found that more people are ordering online at least once a month – an increase of 13%.
Over one in two (53%) respondents reported receiving damaged goods from online purchases in the past 12 months. This has led to frustrated Brits, with well over half (57%) admitting they would be hesitant to shop with a retailer again if they received a broken or damaged item.
Ashwin Moorthy, Head of Design and Innovation, DS Smith, said, “People are excited for Black Friday bargains, but each broken delivery bursts that bubble and contributes to an annual multi-billion-pound problem. From home entertainment tech to weekly shops and flower pots, these days we order just about anything online, but products can be dropped, impacted, squashed, crushed and shaken on route. This means they need cleverly designed packaging so people aren’t left disappointed with an online order that arrives in pieces.”
The most common items to arrive damaged were food and drink (15%), household items like crockery and glassware (15%), and entertainment products like books or games (13%). Meanwhile, 1 in 10 (10%) have received damaged health and beauty products, according to the figures.
The research also found that consumers are receiving damaged items of considerable value. The average value of items received in a bad condition is £56.13, meaning the total bill for damages amounts to approximately £2.3 bn.
