Royal Mail remains top choice for Christmas deliveries despite year of challenges

As the festive season approaches, a significant portion of the UK population is preparing to send gifts, with a variety of parcel delivery and courier services at their disposal. Recent data highlights the preferences among these services, revealing notable trends across different demographics and regions.

Preferred Parcel Delivery Services for Christmas Gifts

• Royal Mail stands out as the leading choice, with 30% of respondents planning to use its services. This preference is slightly higher among women (32%) compared to men (27%).
• Evri (formerly Hermes) is the next most popular, selected by 11% of respondents, followed by DPD at 7%.

• Other services like Yodel, UPS, FedEx, DHL, and ParcelForce each garnered between 5% and 8% of user preference.
• Notably, 12% of individuals prefer using online retailers (e.g., Amazon, Argos) to send gifts directly to recipients.
• A significant 44% of respondents do not plan on sending gifts via parcel delivery or courier services this Christmas, and 9% do not intend to purchase any gifts at all.

Regional Variations in Delivery Service Preferences

• Royal Mail maintains its top position across all regions, with the highest usage in Scotland (36%) and the South of England (33%).
• Evri sees higher usage in the Midlands (14%) and Northern Ireland (16%), while DPD is more favoured in the Midlands (10%) and Northern Ireland (9%).
• The preference for using online retailers to send gifts is relatively consistent nationwide, ranging from 10% in London to 15% in the East.

Impression and Value Metrics from YouGov Profiles

• Royal Mail leads in both impression and value metrics, with 35% positive impressions and 22% in perceived value.
• The Post Office follows, holding 27% in impression and 17% in value.
• Evri and DPD also feature prominently, with impression at 21% and 18%, and value at 18% and 10%, respectively.

Royal Mail's Resilience Amidst Challenges

Despite a challenging year, Royal Mail remains the preferred choice for many. The company has faced significant hurdles, including a £10.5 million fine by Ofcom for missing delivery targets and an £878 million class action lawsuit alleging abuse of its dominant market position.

Additionally, the company is under scrutiny due to Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský's impending £3.6 billion takeover. The takeover was approved by the UK government on December 16.

Despite these challenges, Royal Mail's enduring popularity suggests a strong customer loyalty and trust in its services. The company's extensive network and longstanding presence in the UK postal industry continue to make it a reliable choice for many during the holiday season.