UK peak research: fleet management operators will face pressures to get parcels delivered to customers when expected

Fleet shortages leave UK retailers at risk of disappointing online shoppers, with delivery delays set to impact Black Friday sales, according to new research. 

The ‘Delivery Delays’ Report, from retail communications specialist Esendex, analysed data from Indeed to calculate the vacancy rate for the most common delivery job titles, and pinpoint the regions and cities in the UK that are most at risk of delivery delays this golden quarter.

It found that nearly 30,000 postal and delivery driver vacancies were unfilled in the UK, which means orders placed over Black Friday and Christmas could take longer to reach customers.

Last year, Black Friday sales soared to an estimated 13.3 billion, with over £1bn spent online, but nearly half (42%) of fleet-based businesses were impacted by driver shortages.

This year sales are expected to increase by 5.6%, cranking up the pressure for logistics companies and fleet management operators to make timely deliveries, especially when over three-quarters (77%) of consumers halt spending a month before so they can splurge on discounted goods.

Whilst online sales year-round usually account for 25% of UK retail sales, this Black Friday is predicted to see 46.9% of sales online. With a huge shortfall in delivery staff, an influx of online shopping this Black Friday poses a risk to logistics companies, causing potential dissatisfaction from both retail businesses and their customers.

However, ongoing job shortages in the logistics sector will place pressure on online retailers and ecommerce brands as they face surging demand this peak season. The report highlights over 11,000 open vacancies for ‘HGV’ drivers and 13,000 for ‘delivery driver’.

‘Picker packer’ roles also face a notable shortfall, with 5,000 positions unfilled, although vacancies for ‘logistics coordinators’ and ‘parcel sorters’ remain comparatively lower at 200 and 25 respectively.

While retailers in England face the highest-risk region for parcel delays, with a delivery job vacancy rate of 43.7 per 100,000 people, the expectant demand from Black Friday could test current capacity across the UK.

This emphasises the need for businesses to operate with transparency and actively manage customer expectations, particularly during peak shopping periods.

Delivery job shortages across the UK

Commenting on the findings, Chris Gorman, Head of Commercial Transformation at Esendex said: “As we see an increase in online demand in the Black Friday and Christmas shopping period, recognising the regions most at risk from delivery job shortages allows retail businesses and ecommerce brands to anticipate potential bottlenecks in the supply chain. With great numbers of vacancies for delivery drivers in England, especially in rural areas, fleet management operators will face pressures to get parcels delivered to customers when expected.

“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.”

To view the research in full, please visit: https://www.esendex.co.uk/blog/post/delivery-delays-report/