A growing shortage of delivery workers across the UK is threatening to create Black Friday and festive season delivery delays, according to new data from business communications expert Esendex.

The Delivery Delays report analysed job vacancy data from Indeed across 40 UK regions and found that UK retailers face a “critical challenge” in meeting delivery demands throughout the peak shopping season.

The report found that with 29,225 open positions for delivery roles, the UK has an average of 42.1 vacancies per 100,000 people.

With more than 13,000 open vacancies for delivery drivers alone, representing approximately 187 vacancies per million people in the total population, the report warns this situation could lead to widespread delays.

Within the UK, the data showed that England had the highest vacancy rate with 43.7 delivery vacancies per 100,000, and over 11,000 vacancies for delivery drivers.

Comparatively, Scotland had a lower rate of 24.2 per 100,000, while Northern Ireland and Wales reported even fewer, with just 16.4 and 16.1 vacancies per 100,000 residents respectively. Collectively, these regions accounted for just 1,000 total vacancies for delivery drivers.

The researchers also found significant variation in delivery vacancies across regions and cities in the UK. 

Within England, the South West region faces the largest shortage, with 1,931 delivery vacancies in total and a vacancy rate of 33.8 per 100,000 residents.

This was closely followed by the East of England, with a rate of 33.5, suggesting a potentially higher rate of delivery delays within these regions.

Conversely, the North East of England had a much lower vacancy rate of 9.6, with just 256 vacancies in total, which could lead to a more stable delivery season.

At a city level, Bristol stands out as the city most at risk for delivery delays, with a staggering 98.0 vacancies per 100,000 residents.

Peterborough and Southampton followed behind, with a rate of 86.9 and 75.2 vacancies per capita respectively.

Shoppers in Manchester can also expect to experience some delays to parcels. Although the third largest city in the UK, there were over 230 vacancies in total for delivery jobs, creating a delivery gap of 59.4 vacancies per 100,000 residents.

York, Oxford, and Leeds round out the top 10 cities most at risk. 

Despite being the capital and a major retail hub, London faces the lowest risk of delivery delays, with the lowest vacancy rate in the UK of 13.1 per 100,000 residents.

Similarly, Liverpool and Birmingham also had lower vacancy rates of 14.4 and 15.7 per capita respectively.

Chris Gorman, Esendex head of commercial transformation, said: “As consumers increase spending for Black Friday and Christmas, recognising the regions most at risk from delivery job shortages allows businesses to anticipate potential bottlenecks in the supply chain, which is already facing external pressures from disruptions in the Red Sea and major delivery carriers re-introducing peak season surcharges.

“Our data reveals that the UK is facing a significant risk of delivery disruptions, with over 20,000 open vacancies for delivery roles. Major cities like Bristol and Manchester show the highest concentration of vacancies, which could translate into service disruption for both businesses and customers.

“With demand set to rise sharply, the pressure on delivery systems will intensify. One of the most effective ways to manage these challenges is to use real-time updates and reminders through automated SMS solutions and WhatsApp for Business.

“These tools enable businesses to keep customers informed about delivery progress and any unexpected delays, allowing for proactive customer engagement.

“During peak retail periods, maintaining transparency is even more crucial to customer satisfaction. By providing timely updates and facilitating two-way communication, businesses can alleviate customer service pressure and ensure greater customer confidence. During such a competitive trading period, responsiveness can be a key differentiator for businesses.”

Esendex collected and analysed job vacancy data from Indeed across 40 UK regions, and 15 locations in Ireland and Australia. Using keywords for common delivery roles and seasonal positions, Esendex examined the number of vacancies, and then calculated the vacancy rate against the total population data, sourced from City Population, to estimate the per capita demand for delivery roles.

 

 

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