Evri announces major change to parcels that 'will go down very badly'

Evri has announced a significant shift in its parcel returns process that is set to split customer opinion. The courier service, competing with the likes of DPD and Royal Mail, will

transition from paper receipts to digital ones. Customers who drop off parcels at Evri's ParcelShops will no longer be handed the familiar blue slip; instead, they'll receive an

email receipt complete with a date and time stamp marking the dispatch of their item. The email will further provide a direct link for tracking the parcel. Evri expressed its enthusiasm

about the upcoming change, highlighting that it has taken on board customer feedback favouring digital over paper receipts. "This will improve the customer experience with quick access

to tracking, reduce the millions of paper receipt cards printed each year, and drive us towards our net-zero target," the company stated. Consumer rights specialist Martyn James

commented on the industry, saying: "Of all the business sectors in the UK, package delivery is the most complained about and reviled by the public." He added: "There's

little doubt that the sector is already far too overly reliant on digitisation - to the point where it's impossible to speak to a person at many businesses." James also noted the

potential backlash, stating: "So given the lack of faith from the public about the service provided by package delivery companies, digital receipts will go down very badly indeed."

Premier retailer Suril Patel expressed his concerns to The Grocer, saying: "It's a long process already compared to Yodel, and now they're putting that extra step in which is

going to take more of my staff's time and cause longer queues." Nisa retailer Sukh Gill also weighed in with his perspective: "I can foresee instances where details get

misheard or the staff member cannot understand the email address correctly or inadvertently makes an error, which will then cause customers to come back into stores because they have not

received their email receipt."