Parcel carrier Yodel delivered a record number of parcels over the peak festive period, up 37.4 per cent on its previous record set in 2019.

Between 15 November 2020 and 2 January 2021, there was a surge in “everyday premium items” passing through Yodel’s network as families settled in for a Christmas at home, said Yodel.

Alcohol and fresh food made a significant contribution to parcel volumes.

Parcel numbers in this category were up by 89 per cent with 3.2 million parcels delivered. Fresh food parcels on their own increased 101 per cent.

The surge in demand for food and drink follows the wider pattern of online shopping. A recent report from Kantar showed that digital orders made up 12.6 per cent of all groceries in December 2020, compared to 7.4 per cent in December 2019.

Mike Hancox, chief executive of Yodel, said: “Christmas was different for everyone this time and we saw consumers looking to capitalise on the benefits of doorstep delivery.

“The whole of 2020 was defined by the unprecedented numbers of parcels being delivered. We were operating at 2019 peak levels from March through to November, with volumes up 20 per cent compared to a ‘normal’ year.”

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