Return to sender: four million gifts to be sent back in January 2025

• More than four million parcels to be returned in January
• Numbers of returns more than double after Christmas
• Evri offers advice to consumers on returns

After Christmas, many people find themselves facing the all-too-familiar disappointment of receiving gifts that don’t fit, match their style, or is something they already have. Whether it’s a pair of shoes two sizes too big, or an ill-judged slogan tee, unwanted gifts will be heading back to retailers in droves this January.

Evri, the UK’s biggest dedicated parcel company which delivers 800 million parcels a year, has examined its own parcel data and planning experts predict the busiest returns season on record with a staggering four million parcels likely to be returned in January alone. Last year, more than a million parcels were returned in the week commencing 31st December 2023 and a total of 3.9 million returns were handled in the 4 weeks following Christmas – more than double the typical numbers of returns.

Depending on the retailer’s policy, you may have as little as 14 days to return an unwanted gift, which might mean getting out of your pyjamas on those days between Christmas and New Year when everyone forgets what day of the week it is. Experts at Evri also estimate around half of retailers still offer free returns, but it’s worth checking before you send.

January can be a difficult month, with a longer gap between pay days so consumers are expected to be watching every penny coming back into their bank account. Evri urges consumers to follow some simple tips, so they get their money back and don’t miss out:

1. Check the policy. Check your retailer’s return and exchange policy and pay particular attention to the deadline for getting the items back to them. Some retailers may give consumers as little as 14 days to return unwanted items whilst some may extend this for the Christmas period. Either way, be sure to check and set a reminder in your phone so you don’t miss it.
2. Reuse packaging. Reusing existing packaging is more sustainable but be aware, it’s important to remove or cover up old barcodes and labels as parcels are handled by automated scanners which might get confused by multiple barcodes.
3. Make it secure. Whether you use old packaging or new, make sure there are no loose or torn edges which could get stuck in machinery. Include an address inside the parcel as a precaution in case the label becomes unreadable. However, it’s important not to put sticky tape over the barcode itself as that can make it difficult to scan and cause delays.
4. Check your local returns point. Evri has near 17,000 ParcelShops and Lockers that can be used for returns, many of which are open longer hours and most are open between Christmas and New Year. 95% of the UK’s urban population are within a 5-minute walk of an Evri drop-off point, so there’s a good reason to get some step in, in the post-Christmas slump.