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Amazon Logistics has risen to become the UK’s second largest courier by parcel volume, according to Pitney Bowes’ parcel shipping index.

Its most recent update showed that Royal Mail was ranked the largest, with 35% of all UK parcel shipments, followed by Amazon Logistics with 15%, Hermes (10%), UPS (8%) and DHL (7%).

Together the top five account for 75% of UK parcel shipments by volume.

DPD made the top five in terms of revenue with 8% of parcel market share – equal with DHL.

ParcelHero said Amazon’s rapid climb up the league table should come as a surprise to no-one.

It said it predicted in 2015 that the e-commerce giant would become a major logistics company and overtake many established UK firms.

David Jinks, ParcelHero head of consumer research, said: “Amazon is the ultimate innovator.

“It has conquered almost every market it entered, from its beginnings as a bookseller to electronics, cloud computing and television.

“Now it is the turn of the delivery market.”

Jinks added: “In Amazon’s Prime Ambition, we predicted that Amazon Logistics would ultimately become a delivery company in its own right.

“Sure enough, in 2020 the company announced Amazon Shipping in the UK, a new parcel pick-up and delivery service available to any business, whether they use Amazon’s e-commerce platform to sell on or not.

“Amazon Shipping picks up parcels seven days a week and delivers them to UK customers the next day.

“At Amazon Logistics’ current rate of growth, how long before even the Post Office starts looking over its shoulder?”