Courier and Parcel Services

Transcription

1 Courier and Parcel Services UK Market Synopsis SYN010 May 2013 Introduction This market synopsis examines the trends and market developments affecting the courier and parcel services sector in the UK. It provides information targeted specifically at new, existing or aspiring small business owners who are aiming to trade or develop their interests within this sector. Courier and parcel services collect, sort, transfer and deliver items that may be time sensitive, or too heavy to be delivered by standard mail. Services typically provide door-to-door collection and delivery via international, national and local air, train and road services. Services are also known as carriers and range from integrated network operators to local pickup and delivery drivers. Operating alongside this sector is the Government-owned universal postal service Royal Mail, which provides time-sensitive and parcel services. Wherever possible, this synopsis has been compiled from sources of information that can be accessed online to enable users to conduct further research of their own. These include industry and national press sources, Government research, company reports, market reports and information from trade bodies. Market summary at a glance The key factors affecting the courier and parcel services sector can be summarised as follows: The global courier and parcel sector generates around $189 billion in revenue each year. Sector growth has been slowed by the global recession, which has reduced demand for courier and parcel deliveries. Difficult trading conditions, particularly in Europe and North America, have reduced the volume of items being sent, however demand remains for timesensitive courier services. Leading carriers in the global courier and parcel sector include DHL, FedEx, TNT and UPS. The UK courier and express sector generates annual revenue of around $6.6 billion, according to a March 2012 report from MarketLine ( united_kingdom_express?productid=mlip ). The report covers courier, express and parcel services, as well as general mail services, with weight limits of up to 70kg. The sector showed an annual growth rate of 0.8% for the period 2006 to Growth is forecast to accelerate to 2.8% for the period 2010 to A key factor in this growth is the increasing expansion of online retailing. Revenue in the courier, express and parcel sector is forecast to grow to $7.6 billion by the end of Barriers to entry to the courier and parcel sector are described by IBISWorld as 'moderate' ( While entry into the international market is difficult, the domestic and local markets are open to carriers that can provide a specific or niche service. This includes 'last mile' local delivery services, or the delivery of items that require special handling, for example refrigerated SYN010 Courier and Parcel Services Page 1 of 11

2 items. At the most basic level, a courier service can be set up with nothing more than a bicycle and a mobile phone. A key characteristic of the industry is that it comprises firms that typically operate across various sectors in terms of the type of service they provide and the type of customer they serve. For example, some carriers provide courier and parcel services to business-tobusiness (B2B), business-to-consumer (B2C) and consumer-to-consumer (C2C) customers, while others exclusively provide courier services to B2B customers, or parcel services to C2C customers. Carriers that operate across different sectors are known in the industry as integrators. The leading integrators in the industry are the four global players DHL, FedEx, TNT and UPS. According to The Delivery Magazine ( service differentiation is reducing across the industry, with the lines dividing the courier, express and parcel sectors becoming blurred. Traditionally, couriers serviced the same-day market, express carriers serviced the premium (for example, next-day guaranteed) market, and parcel carriers serviced the non-premium (for example, non-guaranteed, three-day service) market. However, factors such as the recent economic downturn, the rise of online retailing and the emergence of new forms of competition have eroded the distinctions between the services. Industry overview For the purpose of this synopsis, the industry has been divided into the following sectors, with the proviso that several services will be integrators straddling more than one sector. National post The UK's universal national postal service is Royal Mail, which is currently Government owned. In addition to providing first and second class letter and packet delivery services, Royal Mail provides express and parcel deliveries that compete with those of dedicated courier and parcel carriers, including its Parcelforce courier and parcel brand. A key feature of Royal Mail's service is that its network incorporates an effective and well-established 'last mile' delivery service. Indeed, Royal Mail provides 'last mile' delivery on behalf of several competitor services. The national post service is in decline, largely due to a broad shift away from physical mail towards digital communication. According to Royal Mail, traditional letter volumes declined by 5% in 2011 and a further 6% in 2012 (revenue showed an increase, but this was attributed to postage price rises). However, Royal Mail's parcel volume increased, largely due to the growth of online retailing. Parcels revenue increased by 10% in 2012 to 2.6 billion ( The future of Royal Mail is uncertain. Following the introduction of the Postal Services Act 2011, the Government decided to inject private capital into the national postal service, and proposed the privatisation of Royal Mail. In February 2013, Government ministers were meeting with Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union to discuss a future share sale ( debtext/ htm). In addition to Royal Mail, there are more than 60 licensed postal service operators in the UK. The existing licensing scheme (which is in the process of being replaced) entitles operators to carry mail weighing less than 350g or costing less than 1 to post. Some operators provide a full 'end- SYN010 Courier and Parcel Services Page 2 of 11

3 to-end' service, undertaking the full collection, sorting, transfer and delivery process. However, the majority provide a 'downstream access' service, undertaking collection, sorting and transfer, but handing over to Royal Mail for delivery ( monitoring-update pdf). Licensed operators include TNT Post, UK Mail, and Secured Mail. TNT Post is the UK's second largest national post carrier, and claims to be the number one challenger in the UK mail market. It handles 22% of all UK mail and provides an 'end-to-end' service in some areas of the UK ( It also provides a packet and parcels delivery service for businesses and public sector organisations. The company's domestic courier and parcel service is TNT Express. Netherlands-owned TNT reported revenue for the fourth quarter of 2012 of 1.86 billion ( 1.6 billion), down 0.5% on the same period in the previous year ( Courier service Courier service providers primarily cater for the same-day delivery market. This typically involves B2B collection and delivery, often in an urban environment. Courier services often use a combination of vans, motorcycles and bicycles. The UK's biggest courier firm is CitySprint ( which reported turnover of 74.3 million in 2011, up 21.7% on the previous year. However, it was noted in the company's annual report that the future was uncertain, as the market is very competitive and some contracts are subject to competitive tender ( The courier sector is characterised by a high number of self-employed individuals, working either independently or as subcontractors for larger firms. These individuals are generally owner-drivers of cars, vans or bikes. For example, CitySprint subcontracts collections and deliveries to more than 2,500 self-employed couriers across the UK. Couriers collect packages from CitySprint's 37 distribution centres and distribute them in their local areas, with deliveries tracked via GPS devices. Courier Exchange ( is an example of an online marketplace where independent couriers can find subcontract work. Examples of independent courier services include ecourier ( cyclone ( and City of London Courier ( Hundreds of independent couriers advertise locally and online. Websites such as Find My Courier ( allow customers to book collections and deliveries with registered couriers. The National Courier Association (NCA, is a network of independent courier companies that collaborate to provide a national service. Many courier services provide niche and specialist services that differentiate them from their competitors. For example, bicycle couriers can access areas of a congested city that nonbicycle couriers cannot. Couriers that use bicycles and electric cars also promote green and carbon-neutral services. Medical couriers specialise in deliveries of pharmaceutical products, clinical supplies and medical notes. Refrigerated couriers can carry foodstuffs and other temperature-sensitive goods. Examples of niche and specialist couriers include Green Mile ( Medical Moves ( and Fresh Move ( SYN010 Courier and Parcel Services Page 3 of 11

4 Express delivery Express carriers provide premium time-sensitive services such as next-day guaranteed delivery of documents and parcels. Primarily, this is for B2B clients and, increasingly, for B2C clients, particularly as online retailers increasingly offer premium delivery services to consumers. The value of this sector has been eroded in recent years by competition from the non-express parcel sector. Many non-premium providers are including guaranteed delivery times, track and trace, and other 'premium' features in their services. Recent research indicates that customers are slowly returning to express services, but not as quickly as expected. According to AT Kearney, many customers who shifted from express to standard shipping for financial reasons have found they are satisfied with the standard service and, therefore, have no intention to switch back ( paper/-/asset_publisher/dvxv4hz2h8bs/content/courier-express-and-parcel-can-it-keep-themomentum/10192). A guaranteed delivery time is often not enough of an incentive to switch back, particularly for domestic shipments where standard delivery times are relatively quick. Leading providers in the express sector include DHL Express and FedEx Express. Both have reported recent increased volumes, largely driven by increases in online retail. Both provide services that straddle the express and standard parcel sectors. DHL Express is part of the Deutsche Post DHL company and concentrates on the B2B market, with its B2C domestic service having been sold to Home Delivery Network in 2010 (and rebranded Yodel). In the third quarter of 2012, DHL Express reported global revenue of 3.28 billion ( 2.83 billion), up 9% on the previous year. Growth in Europe was slower, with revenue for the same quarter reported at 1.35 billion ( 1.16 billion), up 2.9%. The company reported an 'encouraging' rise in volumes in Europe in 2012, with positive results from the UK ( dam/investors/events/reporting/2012/9m/dpdhl_interim_report_q3_2012.pdf). Global package volume carried by FedEx Express increased by 10% in 2011, driven by growth in Europe, the US and Asia. FedEx Express is operated by the US-owned FedEx Corporation ( fedexannualreport2012.hwaxis.com/files/fedex_annual_report_2012.pdf). Other leading express service providers are TNT Express and UPS Express. Parcel delivery The standard parcel sector provides a non-premium delivery service, primarily for the B2C market. As outlined above, the distinctions between express and parcel services have become increasingly blurred in recent years. For example, the standard service provided by parcel carrier Hermes is a fully-tracked, two- to three-day delivery, which competes favourably against higher priced premium services. The growth of online retailing has helped the standard parcel sector grow in recent years. Leading providers operating in this sector include Hermes, Yodel, and Dynamic Parcel Distribution (DPD). DPD regards itself as 'the UK's leading parcel delivery brand'. The business is operated by GeoPost UK, the UK arm of French-owned La Poste, the second-largest postal company in Europe ( In addition to DPD, GeoPost operates Interlink Express (next-day parcel delivery), and Interlink Direct (online booking parcel delivery). DPD delivers more than 1.6 million parcels each week for clients including Amazon. It operates from 40 local depots, with 6,700 employees and 3,000 vehicles. In November 2012, the company announced a 175 million expansion in order to meet increasing demand from online retailers ( about/news.jsp). SYN010 Courier and Parcel Services Page 4 of 11

5 Both Hermes and Yodel have benefitted in recent years from the expansion of online retailers. Hermes, which calls itself 'the UK's largest home delivery courier network', handles more than 160 million deliveries each year. Its clients include Tesco, QVC, Debenhams, Arcadia Group and John Lewis ( Yodel was formed in 2010 after Home Delivery Network purchased DHL Express's B2C domestic business ( about/introducing-yodel/the-yodel-story.aspx). Yodel's clients include Amazon, Asda, Boots, Littlewoods and O2. Lifestyle couriers Independent 'lifestyle couriers' are self-employed owner-drivers who work on a freelance basis for parcel carrier firms. Lifestyle couriers collect parcels from their firm's local depot for 'last mile' delivery in their designated area. They are known as lifestyle couriers as they can often carry out the work to fit around childcare or other employment commitments. Because these couriers deliver in and around their own neighbourhoods, they can understand the habits of their customers more easily, including when they are likely to be at home to accept deliveries. They are, however, relatively low paid, receiving around 50p per delivery. An average lifestyle courier delivers 60 to 70 parcels each day. Efficient and cost-effective, lifestyle courier networks are central to parcel delivery companies' high volume/low margin strategies. Hermes operates the UK's largest lifestyle courier network, with more than 7,500 lifestyle couriers ( In January 2013, it was reported that the UK's logistics workforce comprised around 1.8 million people, of which 5% to 8% were self-employed drivers ( Drop-off and collection services Drop-off and collection points allow customers to send or receive parcels conveniently, and are particularly aimed at customers who cannot be at home during working hours to await a collection or delivery. Leading drop-off and collection brands include Collect+ ( which operates from a network of 5,000 local shops, the Hermes ParcelShop drop-off service ( which will operate from 2,500 convenience stores and petrol stations by the end of 2013, and UPS Access Point, which aims to have a network of 4,000 stores by 2015 ( Self-service parcel lockers are a recent innovation in this sector. Parcels are delivered to the automated lockers and can be collected by customers 24 hours a day, providing added convenience for those who cannot wait for deliveries. Suppliers of parcel lockers include InPost ( and ByBox ( In addition, Amazon is rolling out its own Amazon Lockers throughout the UK ( nodeid= ). Already popular in Denmark, Germany, and Australia, parcel lockers have not yet made an impact in the UK, but could reshape the parcel deliveries sector in the near future. External factors and trends Some of the key external factors and trends affecting the sector include: SYN010 Courier and Parcel Services Page 5 of 11

6 The recent economic downturn has led to a shift in demand to lower cost courier and parcel service solutions. Premium same-day and next-day courier and express services have been worst affected, as customers migrate towards more cost-effective, non-premium services. The strong trend for B2B customers to downgrade to non-premium services has accelerated as the effects of the economic downturn have filtered through. Lower shipment volumes in difficult trading conditions have also led customers to become more price sensitive. The trend has also been demonstrated in some areas of the B2C market. While premium service providers have been negatively affected, the trend has created opportunities for non-premium providers to meet increased demand for lower cost services. Physical mail volume is falling in line with the rise of digital communication. As mentioned in the previous section, Royal Mail reported that traditional letter volume fell by 6% in Increased use of mobile technology, such as smartphones and other tablet devices, combined with a recession-led search for more cost-effective methods, are continuing to boost digital communication. According to OFCOM, the use of increased by 39% in the UK in the two years to September The use of social networking platforms and text messaging increased by 27% and 20% respectively over the same period ( stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/market-data/communications-marketreports/cmr12/international/1.19). Couriers and express document carriers are most likely to be affected by this continuing trend, with parcel and niche services less likely to be affected. The sector is being boosted by the continuing growth of online retailing. UK shoppers spent just over 50 billion online in 2011 and an estimated 57 billion in 2012, representing a year-on-year growth of 14%, according to research conducted for Kelkoo ( press.kelkoo.co.uk/onlineroundup.html). Online spend represents 13.2% of all retail spending. On average, each online shopper spent 1,435 and purchased 39 items overall in The UK has the largest online retail market in Europe and online retailing is forecast to continue to grow. Non-premium parcel services are best placed to benefit from this trend, with retailers typically working with low-margin partners for B2C deliveries. Businesses such as Yodel and Hermes have grown exponentially alongside online retail and, as a result, more opportunities have been created for independent lifestyle couriers. The rise of online retailing is shifting the focus of carriers away from the B2B market towards the B2C market. Traditionally, the B2B market has accounted for around 90% of most carriers' business. However, according to DHL, one in four parcels now results from online retailing ( The growing B2C market is creating new opportunities and challenges. B2C delivery generally involves delivering one item per stop and residential stops are usually less concentrated than commercial stops. Carriers must make more stops over a wider area, increasing their costs. In addition, many B2C deliveries to residential addresses require several delivery attempts if a recipient is not at home. Returns are also an important factor. Around 40% of clothing items purchased from online retailers are returned, providing further opportunities for carriers. Although online retailing has initially boosted the standard parcel market, a growing number of online retailers are offering their customers premium delivery options, increasing opportunities for carriers in the premium courier and express sectors. For example, Amazon offers a next-day delivery service, which is free to members of its Prime subscription service. Amazon has also introduced same-day evening delivery for addresses in London and certain other cities. Deliveries are made up to 9.30pm, or 5.30pm on weekends, via various courier and express carriers ( ie=utf8&nodeid=492868). SYN010 Courier and Parcel Services Page 6 of 11

7 The significant online presence of ebay has had a positive effect on the courier services sector, with an increasing number of ebay purchases being shipped by B2C and C2C customers. ebay is the UK's largest online retail destination, with more than 17 million unique visitors each month and around 60 million items listed at any one time. ebay users include individual consumers and business sellers, including more than 100 highstreet retailers ( While sellers are free to choose their own carrier, ebay partners with Royal Mail and Parcelforce. Other carriers, including Hermes, provide specific services for individual ebay sellers ( Rising fuel prices are squeezing profit margins in the courier and parcel services sector. The cost of a litre of petrol increased by 38% between June 2007 and January 2013, and the cost of diesel increased by 43% over the same period ( drivers-braced-for-fuel-price-rise). The rising cost of motor insurance has also had a negative effect on profit margins. All types of carriers have been affected, from major integrators to independent couriers. Alternative methods of transport, such as bicycles and electric vehicles, are being used in an attempt to offset fuel and insurance rises. The 'last mile' - the final leg of delivery to customers' homes or businesses - is an important factor in the sector. Traditionally, Royal Mail has held a near monopoly over the last mile, using its huge network to deliver mail and parcels six days a week to 28 million homes and businesses. However, an increasing number of delivery networks are challenging Royal Mail over the last mile. In 2012, TNT Post began last mile delivery in London, having previously collected and sorted mail before leaving the last mile to Royal Mail. The firm's 400 post carriers deliver mail and parcels to 250,000 addresses. TNT plans to roll the last mile service to other towns and cities ( supportservices/ /tnt-posties-take-on-royal-mail-in-london-trial.html). Customer loyalty in the express delivery sector is flagging as clients shop around for costeffective deals, according to research from Triangle Management Services. The survey of 900 B2B and B2C customers found that the percentage of customers that stayed loyal to their carrier dropped from 32.6% in 2011 to 28.3% in 2012 ( news/companies/customer-loyalty-flagging-in-uk-parcels-market-says-key-report). The number of customers that deliberately stopped using a carrier doubled in 2012, with some carriers reporting higher than normal customer losses. The results suggest that customers are increasingly price conscious and will switch carrier regularly in order to obtain the most cost-effective service. Carriers are increasingly attempting to develop a competitive advantage by creating valueadded services. Examples of value-added services that appeal to the B2C market include Saturday deliveries, narrow delivery windows and convenient drop-off points. According to DHL, the B2B market is typically more interested in an integrated all-round service that can provide door-to-door delivery via a continuous chain. or text delivery information, identity checks and department delivery are current value-added trends in the B2B market ( Narrow delivery windows and mobile tracking are two methods that are increasingly being used by carriers to provide their customers with a more convenient service. Interlink Express has launched a one-hour delivery window with its Predict service ( Customers are advised of their window via or text and can change the window if it is not SYN010 Courier and Parcel Services Page 7 of 11

8 convenient. In addition, Interlink has a mobile website for customers to track their deliveries on handheld devices. Several carriers have dedicated tracking apps. In addition, the independent Parcel app allows users to track deliveries from more than 100 carriers, including DHL, TNT, UPS, FedEx, DPD, Hermes and Yodel ( New technologies such as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags and PIN-protected deliveries are improving efficiency and security in the sector. RFID tags are being used instead of barcodes. RFID tags can be read wirelessly by an RFID reader without being scanned and make it easier to track items ( rfid.html). PIN-protected delivery is an alternative to signature-on-delivery and provides added security for high-value items. A PIN number is communicated from the sender to the recipient and must be entered into a handheld terminal on delivery. PIN-protected delivery was introduced by Hermes in 2011 ( Tracking and proof-of-delivery apps for smartphones are removing the need for couriers to carry handheld terminals. For example, Skillweb's SmartTask Proof of Delivery app will be available for Android, Apple, Blackberry and Microsoft handsets during The app allows couriers to scan parcels for tracking purposes and capture proof of delivery signatures ( The innovation is likely to affect lifestyles couriers in particular, allowing them to carry out their work using their own smartphones. Government initiatives and regulation There are several regulations and Government initiatives relating to the courier and parcel services sector. These include: The Postal Services Act 2011 was introduced in June 2011 to enable the Government to take steps to privatise Royal Mail. The Act allows the Government to sell up to 90% of Royal Mail to private buyers, with the remaining 10% sold to Royal Mail staff. The Post Office can be separated from Royal Mail, and may also be privatised ( ukpga/2011/5/contents). The 2011 Act is part of Government policy to ensure the future of the UK's universal postal service, which EU member states are required to provide under European law ( government/policies/ensuring-the-future-of-the-universal-postal-service-and-post-officenetwork-services). Whether it is privatised or not, the Act requires Royal Mail to maintain a six-day-a-week universal service. Therefore, although the future of Royal Mail remains uncertain, the UK will continue to have a universal mail provider. Nevertheless, the policy will break the near-monopoly held by Royal Mail, and create opportunities for competitors. The Postal Services Act 2000 was partly replaced or amended by the 2011 Act, but some important provisions remain. For example, provisions of the 2000 Act set out offences related to postal services and cover the terms and conditions of service providers ( The courier and parcel services sector is part of the postal services industry, which is regulated by OFCOM. OFCOM took over regulation of the industry from Postcomm under the provisions of the 2011 Act, and has been tasked with replacing the postal service licensing scheme with a more general regulatory regime. Under the previous scheme, carriers had to be licensed to deliver mail weighing under 350g or costing less than 1 to post. Under the new scheme, carriers will be able to provide postal services without SYN010 Courier and Parcel Services Page 8 of 11

9 obtaining a licence, but may be subject to regulatory conditions imposed by OFCOM ( stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/post). Carriers that operate vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 3.5 tonnes must obtain a goods vehicle operator's licence for each traffic area in which it operates. There are eight traffic areas in England, Scotland and Wales, and each has a Traffic Commissioner who issues licences. Operators must pay a one-off application fee and a five-year licence fee to obtain a licence. Information on the eight Traffic Commissioners is held by the Vehicle & Operator Services Agency (VOSA, centralisedlicensingunitandofficesofthetrafficcommissioners.htm). In Northern Ireland, goods vehicle operators' licences are operated by the Department of the Environment ( It is a legal requirement for courier and parcel services to have suitable insurance covering the carriage of goods for hire or reward. This requirement also applies to independent owner-driver and lifestyle couriers. Specialist courier insurance is available from several providers. Comprehensive courier insurance will cover the vehicle and goods in transit, and may also include public liability cover. The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 regulate the sale of goods and services when bought directly by consumers at a distance, either via the Internet, over the phone or by fax, and apply to businesses that allow consumers to book courier and parcel services by any of these methods. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has more information at Further sources of information BOP 36 Removal Service BOP 49 Road Haulage Firm BOP 329 Freight Forwarder BIF 299 A Guide to Choosing and Using a Parcel or Courier Service Trade bodies The Association of International Courier and Express Services (AICES) is a UK-based trade body for services handling international express documents and packages. Website: The Despatch Association is an independent trade body for the courier and despatch sector, incorporating the Riders and Drivers Associates group for self-employed owner-drivers and riders. Website: The Freight Transport Association (FTA) is a trade association representing UK businesses that transport goods by road, rail, sea and air. Website: The National Courier Association (NCA) is a network of around 100 independent couriers that provide a national delivery service. Website: SYN010 Courier and Parcel Services Page 9 of 11

10 The Parcel Carriers Safety Association is a safety forum for firms involved in the collection, sorting, delivery and distribution of parcels. Website: The Self-Employed Owner Drivers Association is an independent trade body providing information and support to owner-drivers. Website: Industry publications 'Courier' is the corporate magazine for Royal Mail and is available to read online. Website: Courier Direct is the website of 'The Delivery Magazine', which provides sector news and analysis. Website: 'Courier Magazine' is a US-based publication for the courier sector. Website: 'Despatches' is the magazine of the Despatch trade body. It provides industry news and features, and is available for non-members to read online. Website: 'Parcel' is a US-based magazine and website providing industry and product news. Website: 'Post & Parcel' is a quarterly magazine and online news source for the courier and parcel sector. Website: 'Private Hire & Courier Magazine' is a London-based free distribution magazine for private hire and courier drivers and operators. Website: The Rapid Parcel blog is an industry news and features resource from the courier and parcel company. Website: Courier exchanges and brokers Courier Exchange is a freight exchange website that allows carriers and drivers to exchange and subcontract jobs. Website: The Courier List is an online directory that allows customers to find couriers in their local area. Website: Find My Courier is a courier marketplace that allows customers to book collections and deliveries online. Website: Shiply is an online service that matches couriers with people and businesses needing to transport goods. Website: SYN010 Courier and Parcel Services Page 10 of 11

11 Trade show Post Expo is the international exhibition and conference for the courier and parcel sector. Website: DISCLAIMER While all reasonable efforts have been made, the publisher makes no warranties that this information is accurate and up-to-date and will not be responsible for any errors or omissions in the information nor any consequences of any errors or omissions. Professional advice should be sought where appropriate. Cobweb Information Ltd, Unit 9 Bankside, The Watermark, Gateshead, NE11 9SY. Tel: Website: SYN010 Courier and Parcel Services Page 11 of 11