A new study released by FedEx, forecasts that parcel carriers will collectively distribute 1.29 bn shipments across the UK between October and December 2024, 10.9% more than in the same period in 2023. The independent study was conducted by Effigy Consulting, which analysed its courier, express and parcels (CEP) database with 500,000 data points on more than 300 carriers in 41 countries.
The data shows a significant increase on the UK figures for 2023, up from 1.17bn parcels to 1.29bn in 2024. The UK will be the busiest market for parcels this Peak season, representing 21% of the total deliveries made, equating to 12 parcels per person across the UK and Europe.
Germany and France will be the second and third busiest markets, with Germany accounting for 17% (1.1 bn) and France making up 8.4% (524 mil) of the total parcels delivered across Europe. This growth is being driven by a rise in e-commerce which accounts for nearly 70% of shipments going directly to consumers across the European market.
Alun Cornish, Vice President Network Operations at FedEx commented: "Peak season is a critical period for UK businesses, with many relying on transportation and logistics to meet increased demand and deliver for their customers. Online shopping, ecommerce, and a shift towards deferred services will continue through this year’s peak, reflecting changing consumer behaviour and ongoing cost-consciousness in the market.”
FedEx’s networks will scale and adapt to meet the UK’s increased demand, with options for air and road transportation, as well as more predictive technologies to manage potential disruptions and make the ‘golden quarter’ a success.”
Across the whole of Europe, 6.2bn shipments will be made between October and December 2024, 9.0% more than in the same period in 2023. The UK is one of the fastest growing major European countries with a growth of 10.9% on last year, outpaced only by Portugal and Poland and countries such as Turkey, Croatia and Bulgaria.
To illustrate the scale of the Peak, the total European volume (4.878 bn cubic feet) would equate to filling the entire structure of Wembley Stadium thirty-four times over. The total weight of goods transported across Europe at this Peak will be almost 7.5m tonnes, which equates to around 15 kg for every person living in the EU and the UK.
The countries with the highest volume of shipments during this Peak season are the UK (1.3bn) and Germany (1.1bn), followed by France with just over half a billion (524m), with twelve parcels sent for every person in the UK and EU during the three-month period.
Cornish continued: “Throughout Peak season, FedEx, alongside wider parcel delivery services, will play a key role in helping the UK’s businesses make the most of the growth opportunity to scale up their businesses. The UK is the largest market for parcel deliveries in Europe, and our logistics and CAP sectors are critical to both the social and economic wellbeing of the UK as well as key players in the success of retail and e-commerce sectors.”
“Competition from overseas gets a lot of attention, but the truth is that Europe is an export powerhouse with 481 million parcels sent internationally driven by the continued growth of e-commerce. This continues to create opportunities for UK businesses to reach new markets overseas. Tracking deliveries is key to success, and our digital supply chain collects 20-25 scans of each of the millions of packages that flow through our network during this period, allowing us to seamlessly share information with customers and customs authorities.”
Europe is forecast to import more goods from outside the continent than it exports, with almost 200 million shipments coming in from the likes of China and the USA compared to 75 million going out. However, almost half a billion of the parcels shipped this Peak season in Europe will be exports, with European based businesses shipping nearly 500 million parcels to other countries both inside and outside the EU. Over a third of UK parcels shipped this Peak season in Britain will be exports out to other countries, and exports are predicted to rise almost 10% compared to last year’s Peak season. Daily deliveries on the UK’s Black Friday (29th November) will grow to 40.5 million this year up from 37.3 million in 2023.
