UK e-retail delivery volumes grow 9.5% in January

E-retail delivery volumes in the UK posted solid year-on-year growth of 9.5% in January,according to the IMRG MetaPack UK Delivery Index, which measures parcel volumes generated by

While this parcel volume increase from online retail orders is below the growth forecast of 13%for 2015, it is well ahead of the 3.8% increase seen in January last year. By the end of this year,IMRG and MetaPack expect the number of parcels dispatched through UK carriers to surpass the 1billion mark.

The British e-commerce association IMRG explained that the established trend in January goestowards a sharp drop in order volumes, with month-on-month growth dropping 33% last month. This isonly slightly higher than the month-on-month fall in January 2014 (32%). This figures mirror theonline retail sales in the UK last month which posted moderate growth of 7% year on year, due tothe impact of Black Friday discounts at the end of last year.

The Index also recorded a rise in average order values and delivery quality of service, IMRGreported.

Andrew Starkey, head of e-logistics at IMRG, said: “Although this is short of our 13% forecastgrowth for the full year, the pace of online shopping always picks in the spring so we expect thisfigure to increase to match our forecast fairly quickly. It is pleasing to see that after thetrauma of Black Friday, the UK carrier industry has recovered quickly and the level of on timedelivery / attempted delivery at 92.5% is at its highest January level since 2012.”

Angela O’Connell, strategy and marketing director, MetaPack, added: “The story of January 2015is how UK retailers and carriers are continuing to cooperate ever more closely to sustain thesuccessful rebound from the challenges of early December. A year-on-year January increase inparcels dispatched is a great way to begin a year when we expect more innovation in deliverychoices to enable the growth we and the IMRG are forecasting.”