Christmas proved a challenge for parcel delivery in the UK (Part 1)

For Yodel, the biggest consumer parcel delivery firm in the UK (with the exception of Royal Mail), its depots have been stretched to the limit due to the huge spike in internet shopping over Christmas.

In some parts of the country, including the north-west and south-east, the demand was about 20 per cent higher than Yodel originally planned for.

Yodel’s chief executive, Jonathan Smith, explained:

“This appears to have been a very strong online Christmas, and I don’t think anyone would have put their money on that in the summer. The high street seems to be in a different place.”

Online shopping is certainly on the rise, with many more consumers becoming increasingly unwilling to brave the high street stores and queue for hours to get gifts for friends and family members. Due to the simplicity of ordering their goods over the internet, for most it was really a no-brainer.