December 16, 2025 — With Christmas deliveries entering their most time-sensitive stretch, UK parcel carrier Evri is facing intensifying scrutiny from regulators, politicians and consumers after a wave of complaints about missing parcels, confusing proof-of-delivery photos, and inconsistent customer support.
In the past 24–72 hours, the story has broken in multiple directions: a BBC Panorama investigation into delivery practices and pay pressure, local anger in England over parcels marked “delivered” but not received, and political interventions from MPs in Northern Ireland and across Great Britain demanding answers from Evri’s chief executive, Martijn de Lange. [1]
What is emerging is a broader question that goes beyond any single doorstep dispute: can a low-cost, high-volume delivery model cope with peak-season demand without eroding trust—both for customers waiting on gifts and for couriers under pressure to complete routes quickly? [2]
BBC Panorama: “Throw parcels at the back door” and the pressure to finish rounds
The flashpoint for today’s debate is a Panorama report in which an undercover BBC team investigated Evri’s last-mile delivery operation, interviewing 30 current and former workers. The programme recorded couriers describing a workplace culture shaped by speed and earnings—where drivers say they are effectively pushed toward shortcuts to make a viable income. [3]
In one exchange highlighted from the investigation, an Evri courier tells the undercover reporter that to “earn money,” a driver has to quickly find a safe place and leave the parcel—while another adds: “You can even throw the parcel at the back door, you only get paid if the parcel is delivered.” [4]
The investigation, as reported, links these behaviours to incentives created by pay structures and workload expectations—an issue that becomes more visible during the Christmas surge, when volumes spike and late deliveries can derail time-sensitive purchases. [5]
The numbers behind the frustration: what Ofcom’s latest research shows
While viral doorbell footage and individual delivery stories spread quickly online, official survey data suggests a broader dissatisfaction problem across the parcel sector—with Evri consistently among the weaker performers in customer experience measures.
Ofcom’s 2025 research on residential parcel delivery reports that overall satisfaction across delivery companies averages 78%, but satisfaction varies sharply between operators. In the same Ofcom dataset, Evri is shown with 73% satisfied and 14% dissatisfied—one of the higher dissatisfaction figures in the comparison group. [6]
Ofcom also highlights that recipients commonly report issues such as parcels being delayed, left in inappropriate locations, or delivery staff not giving enough time to answer the door. [7]
Even when customers try to resolve problems, the “contact” experience remains a major pain point: Ofcom finds that fewer than half of recipients who made contact were satisfied with the contact process on average, and the inability to contact a delivery company by phone is a leading source of dissatisfaction. [8]
Alongside Ofcom, Citizens Advice’s Parcels League Table 2025 places Evri near the bottom among the top five major operators it tracks, scoring 2.25 out of 5 overall and recording a relatively low trust score compared to peers. [9]
Local complaints: Lincolnshire customers say parcels are “delivered” but not received
As the Panorama coverage gained attention, a parallel story has been building around consumer complaints, including in Lincolnshire, where more than 80 people have contacted the BBC to report problems with deliveries—particularly parcels showing as delivered online that they say never arrived. TechStock²+1
In one report republished by other outlets, complaints include delays, missed deliveries and allegations that tracking updates do not match the reality on the ground, contributing to a sense that customers are stuck in a loop: the system insists a delivery happened, while the doorstep is empty. TechStock²+1
This is the scenario that tends to escalate fastest at Christmas: when parcels are high-value, time-sensitive, and emotionally loaded, a single failed delivery can mean a missing gift, a frantic replacement purchase, or a last-minute scramble to chase down customer service. TechStock²+1
MPs step in: letters to Evri’s CEO and calls for urgent action
As complaint volumes rise, MPs in multiple parts of the UK have begun publicly pressuring Evri’s leadership.
Northern Ireland: Robin Swann says families face “real anxiety”
In Northern Ireland, South Antrim MP Robin Swann says he has written to Evri after constituents reported a cluster of problems: parcels not arriving, difficulty accessing effective support, and proof-of-delivery photos that do little to confirm what happened.
Swann’s office says constituents have reported inadequate proof-of-delivery photographs—often blank or black images—alongside difficulty getting help due to what he describes as heavy reliance on automated systems. [10]
In his statement, Swann adds: “People entrust delivery companies with Christmas gifts and important items… The issues being reported to my office fall well short of that expectation and are causing real anxiety for families at an already busy time of year.” [11]
He says he has asked Evri to explain how it will manage increased demand and restore confidence in the service in the days ahead. [12]
England: Somerset MP cites “confusing photographs” and “service failures”
In England, the Somerset Leveller reports that Sarah Dyke, the Liberal Democrat MP for Glastonbury & Somerton, has also written to Martijn de Lange after constituents complained about parcels being misdelivered and proof-of-delivery photos that do not clearly identify the correct address. [13]
Dyke is quoted describing residents struggling to locate parcels from photos that are “not their front door”, and calling recent misdeliveries “simply unacceptable,” arguing it appears to be a nationwide issue this year. [14]
Gosport and Bournemouth: “dumped” parcels and “delivery detectives”
Earlier this month, Retail Technology Innovation Hub reported similar interventions from MPs, including Caroline Dinenage and Tom Hayes, who said residents had reported parcels dumped, misdelivered, or marked delivered without reaching recipients. Hayes described residents forming a Facebook group to track missing parcels and return them themselves—turning into what he called “delivery detectives.” [15]
These stories share a common pattern: the problem isn’t only “late deliveries,” but confidence in proof-of-delivery and accountability when tracking says one thing and residents experience another. [16]
Northern Ireland union warning: “Christmas chaos” fears over hub changes
Beyond individual parcel disputes, unions are warning about operational strain behind the scenes—especially in Northern Ireland.
GMB has criticised Evri’s plan to close delivery hubs across Northern Ireland and consolidate around a “super site,” warning the approach could “cause Christmas chaos.” The union says consolidation moved ahead before the new facility was fully ready, adding pressure to staff and creating potential health and safety issues. [17]
GMB organiser Geraldine Hughes described the strategy as rushed and unsafe, arguing that hub closures have contributed to worsening conditions and calling for urgent engagement with management. [18]
The pay debate: why couriers say shortcuts happen
A major thread running through this story—especially following Panorama—is the relationship between courier earnings and delivery outcomes.
In the Panorama reporting, a former courier identified as “Dave” says changes introduced earlier in the year made the work financially unviable for him, estimating he would earn around £10 per hour after changes affecting “small packets,” compared with the adult National Living Wage cited in the report. [19]
Dave’s quote captures why this matters operationally, not just politically: if drivers feel they must deliver more parcels per hour to earn enough, they may spend less time at each doorstep—increasing the risk of misdeliveries, unsafe “safe place” choices, or poor-quality proof photos. [20]
Evri disputes the implication that its model underpays couriers. A widely circulated statement republished by other outlets says couriers are “at the heart of the business,” that average earnings exceed £20 per hour, and that its union-backed pay model includes minimum wage and holiday pay provisions. [21]
What Evri says it’s doing now
In responses quoted by Retail Technology Innovation Hub, an Evri spokesperson acknowledges the peak-season pressures, saying demand is higher as volumes double, apologising to customers who experienced issues, and saying the firm is looking into cases with delivery partners in affected areas. [22]
That framing—“busy season, high volumes, we’re investigating”—is familiar across the parcel industry. The challenge for Evri now is that the company is facing simultaneous pressure from broadcast investigation, official survey benchmarks, and a growing list of MPs documenting constituent complaints. [23]
What shoppers can do right now if a Christmas parcel goes missing
Even as the political and regulatory debate plays out, most readers are dealing with a more immediate problem: getting gifts delivered before Christmas.
Practical steps that can reduce risk and speed resolution:
- Track early and screen-capture key updates (status changes, proof-of-delivery images). If you need to escalate, documentation helps.
- Check the “proof” carefully: if the image doesn’t show a recognisable door or location—or is blank—raise that immediately with the sender/retailer, not just the courier. (This issue is repeatedly cited by MPs and constituents.) [24]
- Use collection options where possible (parcel shops, lockers, click-and-collect) for expensive or time-sensitive items.
- Avoid vague “safe place” instructions in high-theft areas or shared entrances; they can increase uncertainty about where a parcel was left.
- Escalate quickly if a parcel is marked delivered but missing—especially in the final week before Christmas, when replacement lead-times shrink.
What to watch next
Evri’s Christmas delivery problems are no longer being discussed only in review sites and local Facebook groups. They’re now part of a wider national conversation about the economics of last‑mile delivery, the reliability of proof-of-delivery systems, and what accountability looks like when millions of parcels move every week.
The next few days will show whether this becomes a turning point—prompting visible operational changes and clearer customer support—or whether it fades into a familiar post‑Christmas pattern: complaints spike, refunds are processed, and the underlying incentives remain the same. [25]
References
1. www.upday.com, 2. www.ofcom.org.uk, 3. www.upday.com, 4. www.upday.com, 5. www.upday.com, 6. www.ofcom.org.uk, 7. www.ofcom.org.uk, 8. www.ofcom.org.uk, 9. www.citizensadvice.org.uk, 10. www.robinswannmp.com, 11. www.robinswannmp.com, 12. www.robinswannmp.com, 13. somersetleveller.co.uk, 14. somersetleveller.co.uk, 15. retailtechinnovationhub.com, 16. retailtechinnovationhub.com, 17. www.farminglife.com, 18. www.farminglife.com, 19. www.upday.com, 20. www.upday.com, 21. www.aol.com, 22. retailtechinnovationhub.com, 23. www.upday.com, 24. www.robinswannmp.com, 25. www.ofcom.org.uk
