Parcel carriers will collectively distribute 1.29bn shipments across the UK between October and December 2024, 10.9% more than in the same period in 2023 and the highest volume in Europe, according to a study by FedEx.
The data shows a marked rise on shipments in 2023, up from 1.17bn parcels to 1.29bn in 2024.
The study also found 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 are ranked as the second and third busiest markets, with Germany accounting for 17% (1.1 bn) and France contributing 8.4% (524 million) of the total parcels delivered across Europe.
The study says 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.
Across the whole of Europe, 6.2bn shipments will be made between October and December 2024, 9% 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.
Alun Cornish, FedEx vice president network operations, 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.”
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.
