United Kingdom Courier, Express, and Parcel (CEP) - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2025 - 2030)

The United Kingdom Courier, Express, and Parcel (CEP) Market size is estimated at 17.77 billion USD in 2025, and is expected to reach 20.87 billion USD by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 3.27% during the forecast period (2025-2030).

Growing carbon footprint reduction initiatives owing to increasing e-commerce CEP orders are expected to positively impact CEP industry

• The e-commerce industry is a leading driver of growth in the domestic and international CEP segments. The most common goods purchased online by UK consumers in 2022 were fashion goods, with clothing accounting for a 63% share and shoes for a 47% share. These were followed by consumer electronics, with a 35% share, and books, movies, and games, with a 33% share in 2022. All these item deliveries collectively drove CEP demand in the United Kingdom.
• CEP companies with some of the biggest market shares are taking significant steps to reduce the carbon footprint generated by delivering huge volumes of parcels. For instance, Royal Mail has allowed 90,000 posties to make on-feet deliveries. Two-thirds of the deliveries are made purely by foot or through a 'park and loop' method, which is mostly on foot. The company is also aiming to have 5,500 electric vans by 2023 in a further effort to reduce carbon emissions. Amazon also started on-foot and electric cargo bike delivery in London in 2022. Initiatives by both companies are a part of their commitment toward all shipments having net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

United Kingdom Courier, Express, and Parcel (CEP) Market Trends

The UK's warehouse count is expected to reach 214,000 by 2027 due to a rise in demand for consumer fulfillment centers

• In May 2024, DP World opened its largest warehouse yet, a 598,000 sq ft facility in Coventry, as part of a GBP 50 million (USD 60.92 million) investment to boost customer competitiveness. This follows the September 2023 opening of a 270,000 sq ft music and video distribution warehouse in Bicester, handling 70% of the UK's physical music and 35% of home entertainment products. Previously, DP World opened a 75,000 sq ft site in Burton upon Trent and a 230,000 sq ft multi-user warehouse at London Gateway's logistics hub. Alongside its hubs at Southampton and London Gateway, operating in 78 countries, DP World manages 10% of global trade. Such initiaves are expected to boost the GDP contribution from the sector.
• The number of large warehouses in the United Kingdom is rapidly increasing. By 2027, there are expected to be around 214,000 warehouses larger than 50,000 square feet globally. Many of these warehouses are to serve as e-commerce fulfillment centers, and approximately 18% of all warehouses will be for consumer fulfillment by 2027. This increase suggests the global expansion of e-commerce as the proportion of warehouses operating as trade distribution hubs begins to shift in favor of consumer fulfillment centers.

UK government has a major influence on fuel prices, and both fuel duty and VAT (standard 20% rate) make up majority of the petrol and diesel prices

• In August 2022, the oil price dropped under USD 100 and finished the month at USD 90.63 a barrel. Prices dropped further in 2023, and by May, a barrel of oil was down to USD 72.50. In March 2024, petrol prices in the UK averaged 150.1p per litre, the highest since November 2023. This is due to rising oil prices due to Middle East tensions and a weaker pound against the dollar. Although overall inflation has eased, petrol and diesel prices increased in March. Oil prices have since dropped after spiking following Israel's retaliatory attack on Iran in April 2024.
• In June 2024, the UK government confirmed it plans to require at least 10% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in jet fuel by 2030. Currently, SAF is scarce and more expensive than traditional fuels, making it challenging to increase its use in aviation. SAF represents less than 0.1% of jet fuel globally. The government's SAF mandate, pending legislative approval, is set to start in January 2025. This follows the 2022 "Jet Zero"strategy aiming for net-zero emissions in aviation by 2050.

United Kingdom Courier, Express, and Parcel (CEP) Industry Overview

The United Kingdom Courier, Express, and Parcel (CEP) Market is moderately consolidated, with the major five players in this market being DHL Group, International Distributions Services (including Royal Mail), La Poste Group, Otto Group (including The Hermes Group) and United Parcel Service of America, Inc. (UPS) (sorted alphabetically).

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