Royal Mail strikes – Brits fear postal delays to prescription drugs and passports

As workers at Royal Mail announce four days of strike action towards the end of the month, new research has uncovered that just over four in ten (42%) UK consumers have only ‘a little’ trust that time-critical or high-importance items such as prescription drugs, bank or credit cards and passports will arrive on time, while 22% lack trust that such items will arrive for when they are needed by.

The research, conducted by leading Operations Experience Management platform parcelLab and YouGov, reveals that the mistrust from consumers follows widespread delays to the shipping of essential items. Nearly half (46%) of respondents have experienced a late arrival of a time-critical or high-importance item in the last three years, while one in ten (9%) note that they have experienced late delivery over four times in the past three years.

The study also reveals the top five time-critical or high-importance items that UK consumers have either received late or not at all – due to a lost delivery – over the last two years:

Worries of potential delays or losses are now impacting consumers purchase decisions, with over a third (35%) of UK consumers reluctant to order a high-importance or time-critical item for home delivery if they read negative reviews about the supplier’s delivery service. Just under a third (30%) report feeling hesitant if they have previously had a failed delivery or negative experience when ordering a similar item, and the same proportion are unsure about ordering if it’s an essential item for a holiday, such as a passport or clothing. Over a quarter (29%) are reluctant if they know it may be difficult to find a replacement item in person if it does not arrive in time or gets lost, and the same amount (29%) feel unsure about placing the order if the supplier or retailer uses a particular courier or delivery company that they do not rate.

Tobias Buxhoidt, Founder and CEO of parcelLab, commented: “Delivery delays and parcel damage are sometimes helpless features of ordering items online. Consumer angst does not stem from this however, but rather the fact that too many retailers, brands, and others responsible for the delivery of high-importance items forget the basics when it comes to high quality communication and a commitment to order resolution. As a result, brands are at risk of losing customers who are now fed up with the uncertainty and anxiety that comes with placing this type of order online.”