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The possibility of choosing a preferred parcel delivery company can be the decisive factor between completing a purchase and abandoning the basket for many online shoppers in the UK. While some might look for a preferred delivery company based on previous experiences, others might favor ones with fast shipping. Moreover, the rise of sustainable e-commerce has increased the importance of environmentally friendly shipping options.
That is why e-commerce companies should make a conscientious and well-informed decision about which parcel delivery service provider to choose in the UK in 2026, to raise the conversion rate and positive delivery experience.
In practice, the UK parcel market changes quickly. Ofcom reports that Royal Mail remains the main provider of “single piece” parcel services in the consumer-to-business/consumer (C2X) segment, while other operators (such as Evri, DHL, Yodel, and DPD) compete strongly for B2C e-commerce deliveries.
Choosing the right parcel delivery company for e-commerce in the UK
While most online retailers mainly take fast delivery and a cheap price into consideration when choosing a parcel shipping service provider, one should never forget about the customers’ needs and wants. Now, what is the most important characteristic to look for? Unfortunately, there is no one-fits-all solution for every e-commerce company. Every webshop owner has to find the best-fitting solution for his or her unique company. Some of the multiple factors that should be considered are- Who is the target group
- What details do online shoppers look for
- How many parcels are shipped per month
- What products are shipped
- Are products shipped within the UK or shipped across Europe
- What are the company’s priorities: time, safety, money, sustainability, reputation
Top 8 parcel delivery companies in the UK
We will now have a closer look at the already mentioned couriers and provide more information about each one of them. For that, we will give a general overview, details about whether express delivery and environmentally friendly options are available, and how many pick-up points there are for each of them. These pick-up points provide a convenient alternative to home delivery for people who are not at home for any reason.
Also, referred to as parcel shops, they have longer opening hours and make it possible for people to pick up their packages after work, for example. Additionally, we will have a look at what extent the companies focus on international operations.
Royal Mail
The British company was established in 1516 and was in the UK government’s ownership for 499 years until it was floated to the London Stock Exchange in 2013. Royal Mail states it has around 130,000 employees. International Distribution Services (Royal Mail + GLS) reported group revenue of £13.1 billion for the year ended 30 March 2025 (reported September 2025). In terms of market role, Royal Mail as the main provider of single-piece parcel services in the UK’s C2X segment.
Express Delivery
Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 9 am and 1 pm guarantees to deliver the parcels by the next working day domestically.
CO2 Neutral Option
No option for retailers.
Pick-up Points
Royal Mail has been expanding its out-of-home offering. UK reporting in 2025 referenced an out-of-home network of about 24,000 points. In addition, the Post Office network remains at over 11,500 branches (11,683 as of March 2025).
International Focus
Focus mainly on the UK, however, it is also a good option for exporting from the UK.
Evri (formerly Hermes in the UK)
Founded in 1972, Hermes historically operated as part of Hermes Europe GmbH, a Germany-based parcel delivery group headquartered in Hamburg.
In the UK, the business operates under the name Evri following a rebrand in March 2022. In FY 2024/25, Evri delivered over 805 million parcels and generated £1.85 billion in revenue, supported by around 8,800 employees and approximately 28,000 self-employed couriers. Evri remains one of the UK’s most widely used parcel carriers, and its position was further strengthened through a merger with DHL eCommerce UK, with DHL Group taking a minority stake in the combined business.
Express Delivery
Next day & stated day options available.
CO2 Neutral Option
N.A. (availability depends on your contract/service level. Check directly with Evri).
Pick-up Points
Evri reported a network of over 10,000 ParcelShops and Lockers and announced a £50m investment in more than doubling its network to 25,000 locations by 2030
International Focus
Primarily UK domestic; international services are typically provided via partners/products (depending on contract).
DPD
The France-based company, founded in 1999, delivers parcels globally, while they primarily focus on delivery across Europe. DPD’s parent group (Geopost, part of France’s La Poste Group) reported €15.838 billion in sales in 2024 and 2.138 billion parcels delivered, with around 55,000 employees.
Express Delivery
DPD offers various types of delivery, including a next-day option.
CO2 Neutral Option
Geopost positions decarbonisation as a core pillar and states it has committed to reaching net-zero by 2040.
Pick-up Points
Geopost reports 128,000+ out-of-home points in Europe (including 31,000 lockers). For the UK specifically, DPD’s pickup network has been reported as expanding to 12,000 stores and lockers.
International Focus
DPDgroup has a very strong focus on delivering parcels across Europe.
Parcelforce Worldwide
Parcelforce is a trading name of the abovementioned Royal Mail Group Ltd. The British company was founded in 1992 and has around 4.500 employees. For European delivery, it partnered up with GLS, whose parent company is Royal Mail as well. Parcelforce Worldwide is the fourth most popular parcel delivery service provider in the UK and is an option at 6 of the top 100 online retailers in its home country.
Express Delivery
The company offers express delivery for domestic and international shipping.
CO2 Neutral Option
GLS offers climate-neutral shipping services in some countries like Germany.
Pick-up Points
N.A.
International Focus
Focus on deliveries across Europe.
DHL
Founded in 1969, DHL, a division of the world’s biggest logistics company DHL Group (formerly Deutsche Post DHL Group), is a German parcel delivery service company that recorded €84.2 billion revenue in 2024 (group revenue).
Express Delivery
DHL Express, strong focus on next-day delivery.
CO2 Neutral Option
There are various environmentally friendly options available, ranging from making the emission transparent to emission offsetting possibilities and options for circular economy solutions. The company's goal is to be emission-free by 2050.
Pick-up Points
DHL Parcel UK advertises 3,500 ServicePoints across the UK.
International Focus
One of DHL’s biggest advantages is the strong focus on international parcel delivery. The company ships to more than 220 countries and territories.
Yodel
In April 2025, InPost acquired a 95.5% stake in Yodel’s parent company (Judge Logistics Ltd), with PayPoint retaining 4.5%. The Guardian reported the deal covered Yodel’s 10,000 employees and made it the third-largest independent delivery business serving in Britain.
Express Delivery
With its service Yodel Xpress, the company offers a quick next-day delivery service.
CO2 Neutral Option
No options are available.
Pick-up Points
Via InPost’s out-of-home network in the UK: InPost’s FY2025 trading update states it started 2026 with over 19,200 OOH points, including 13,721 lockers.
International Focus
Yodel offers the possibility to ship parcels across Europe within 3-5 days and deliver to the rest of the world within 6-10 days.
UPS
The American company was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Atlanta. UPS reported full-year 2024 revenue of $91.1 billion and stated it has approximately 500,000 employees.
Express Delivery
With services like UPS Worldwide Express Plus and UPS Worldwide Express Shipping, you can deliver your parcels the next day.
CO2 Neutral Option
UPS offers a “UPS carbon neutral” shipping option that supports carbon offset projects tied to shipment transport emissions.
Pick-up Points
UPS operates UPS Access Point locations in the UK for convenient collection/drop-off, but doesn't mention how many
International Focus
UPS operates globally (200+ countries/territories are referenced in UPS investor materials), and is widely used for both intra‑Europe and international shipping.
FedEx
FedEx is another major carrier frequently used by UK merchants — especially when you need time‑definite international delivery (e.g., UK↔EU or UK↔North America). In fiscal year 2025 (ended 31 May 2025), FedEx reported consolidated revenue of $87.926 billion. As of 31 May 2025, Federal Express (FedEx’s largest operating company) employed approximately 237,000 permanent full‑time and 203,000 permanent part‑time employees.
Express Delivery
FedEx Express offers time‑definite express services (product availability depends on lane and pickup cut‑off times).
CO2 Neutral Option
N.A. (depends on service and contract. Check FedEx options directly).
Pick-up Points
FedEx provides drop-off and pick-up via FedEx locations and partner points in the UK (via its location finder).
International Focus
Strong international focus (express and economy cross‑border services are core offerings).
Conclusion about courier services in the UK
Choosing the right parcel delivery company is a crucial step for e-commerce businesses in the UK, not just for cost-effectiveness and speedy delivery, but also for enhancing customer satisfaction and conversion rates. The value of investing time in research before making a choice can't be overstated.
Equally important is the choice of a Third-Party Logistics (3PL) provider. Opting for a flexible fulfillment partner in the UK, collaborating with multiple delivery companies can be a game-changer. It allows you to easily switch carriers during high-demand seasons and to tailor your delivery options according to package size, destination, and urgency like byrd does.
Thank you for reading, and we wish you the best of luck in your e-commerce journey.