Parcel anxiety has become a daily reality for millions of people across the UK, as unpredictable home deliveries force consumers to put their lives on hold. Nearly 60% of Brits now say they are struggling with delivery-related stress, highlighting the growing toll unreliable deliveries are taking on everyday life. 

The findings show the scale of time being lost, with consumers spending an average of 3.2 hours a month waiting at home for deliveries and a further 2.3 hours rescheduling or collecting missed parcels. With the average Brit receiving six parcels every month, this cycle of waiting and disruption is no longer occasional but a regular part of everyday life, leaving many feeling they have little control over their own time. 

For some, the consequences of parcel anxiety go far beyond frustration. The research found that 1 in 10 people have missed major life moments because of delivery issues, including weddings, job interviews and milestone family occasions. Two-thirds (66%) say missed parcels have disrupted important parts of daily life, such as work meetings, childcare arrangements and social plans. 

Late and unreliable deliveries are a major driver of this anxiety. While 58% say delivery delays cause them stress, the concern intensifies when important items are involved. 92% say they would feel stressed if a crucial parcel did not arrive on time, with the most worrying items including important documents (82%), gifts for special occasions (76%) and technology (72%). 

With 95% of UK adults receiving at least one parcel every month, home delivery has become a constant feature of modern life. But for many, it has become a source of daily uncertainty, driven not just by service failures but by a system that gives consumers little say over how their parcels are delivered. In turn, fuelling what is increasingly recognised as parcel anxiety. 

As parcel anxiety grows, it’s becoming clear that traditional home delivery no longer reflects how people live today. Consumers are too often forced into a default home delivery option at checkout, leaving them waiting at home with little control, despite being trusted to make choices at every other stage of the online journey. Giving people genuine choice for delivery at checkout, including access to out-of-home options such as parcel lockers, is increasingly seen as the answer. 

This shift is already underway. Almost six in ten consumers (58%) now say parcel lockers are a better option than home or workplace delivery — a clear signal that the way parcels are delivered needs to change. 

Michael Rouse, CEO International at InPost UK, commented: “Britain is losing precious time every week to a delivery system that no longer reflects how people actually live anymore. Our research shows just how much time, energy and emotion is being drained from households because deliveries still rely on someone being home at the right moment. 

At InPost, we believe true convenience should give people time back, not take it away. That starts with giving consumers real choice over how their parcels are delivered, rather than forcing them into a one-size-fits-all option. Our locker network fits naturally into everyday life, removing the stress and putting control back in the hands of consumers.” 

The findings reveal the extent of the parcel problem: 

• One in three parcels fails on the first delivery attempti 

• 40% miss at least one delivery every month 

• Two-thirds (66%) say missed parcels disrupt important moments, including work meetings, childcare and social plans 

• 1 in 10 say delivery failures have caused them to miss major life events, such as weddings, job interviews or milestone family occasions 

• 83% experience at least one issue during home delivery, with the most common problem being insecure ‘safe place’ drops (40%) 

*Research of 2,074 Britons was commissioned by InPost and conducted by Yonder Data Services in January 2026. 

ENDS 

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About InPost 

InPost (AEX: INPST) is a leader in logistics solutions for the e-commerce industry in Europe. Founded by Rafał Brzoska, InPost is now a leading delivery platform for e-commerce, which has revolutionised the parcel market in Poland. The first Parcel Locker appeared in Kraków in 2009 and quickly became an indispensable part of online shopping and guaranteed speed and convenience.  

Today, the InPost network is Europe's largest and most convenient automated parcel collection and delivery system, with over 94,500 out-of-home points including 61,000 APMs and almost 33,000 PUDO points in 9 countries (UK, France, Poland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands). InPost has over 13,000 APMs across the UK.  

InPost also provides courier and fulfilment services to e-commerce sellers, working with around 100,000 e-tailers. In 2025, the company handled nearly 1.4 billion parcels, achieving a 25% year-on-year growth. 

For years, one of InPost's priorities has been environmental concern. InPost Group's Decarbonisation Strategy is an integral complement to its business strategy. InPost was one of the first in the Polish market to join the SBTi initiative, which aims to achieve NET – ZERO by 2040.  

For more information visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn.