DPD Local and DPD voted top parcel delivery firms, while CitySprint and Yodel are bottom of the pile

It's the first time DPD Local has come top in our poll, and in doing so it stopped DPD's seven-year winning streak. Both firms actually improved on their 2020 results, and in general MoneySavers' feedback on firms was slightly more positive than previously.

Overall MoneySavers rated 10 out of 17 firms better this year, with the proportion of 'great' votes across all firms increasing from 43% to 45%, and the proportion of 'poor' votes dropping from 22% to 20%. DHL Parcel UK (formerly Ipostparcels) saw the biggest improvement in its scores, jumping from bottom place in our 2020 poll to 11th place this year.

However, a number of firms were still scored poorly overall by the 11,440 MoneySavers who voted in the poll, which asked those who've used specific couriers to rate their experience. This year it was CitySprint which came bottom, with just 11% rating it 'great', while second-last Yodel was in the bottom three for the sixth year running. For full help on what to do if you've experienced poor service, see our Parcel Delivery Rights guide.

How parcel firms were rated

When we run this poll each year, we rank firms from best to worst based on the percentage of 'great' and 'OK' votes they get (we award two points per 'great' percentage point and one point per 'OK' percentage point). Here's how the firms did this year:

'Parcel delivery firms had a tough year – but if they don't deliver, you've rights'

Steve Nowottny, news and investigations editor at MoneySavingExpert.com, said: "There's no doubt that it's been a really tough year for parcel delivery firms – they've had to grapple with a surge in demand while dealing with the considerable practical challenges of delivering in a pandemic. Many couriers have done a sterling job in difficult circumstances, and that's perhaps reflected in the improved scores many firms received this year.

"Yet the poll results also reveal marked differences in how firms were rated, suggesting that while some firms have been really delivering, others too often fall short. 

"When you order something, in practice you may have little choice over which firm delivers your goods, as this is frequently decided by the retailer. Generally you have no direct relationship with the delivery firm, as the retailer's their employer. But consumers do have rights when firms don't deliver – and you should use them.

"If you're unhappy with a delivery or it simply didn't arrive, complain to the retailer – that's who your contract's with, and it's up to the retailer to put things right. Ultimately, if retailers get lots of complaints they will force firms delivering parcels on their behalf to up their game."

For full details on your rights, see our Parcel Delivery Rights guide.

What the parcel delivery firms say

We asked the top and bottom-ranked firms for comment. DPD Group UK chief executive Dwain McDonald, speaking on behalf of both DPD Local and DPD, said: "It has been an unprecedented 12 months for everyone, and our industry has been one of those right in the spotlight... so I think everyone in the logistics sector deserves a massive pat on the back. I'm incredibly proud of our own drivers and the whole team for what they have achieved during this period.

"To improve our scores, with around 40% to 50% more parcels in the network every single day, takes some doing."

A CitySprint spokesperson said: "Our congratulations to everyone on this latest ranking, which comes after a challenging 12 months for everyone that has seen a great deal of collaboration between carriers to help support consumers, businesses and the community.

"It is important to note that, unlike others on this list, the vast majority of our business is B2B, undertaking specialist same day delivery work between businesses rather than to the public. This type of work means that we are rarely afforded the opportunity to plan routes in advance, providing a very different set of challenges to others."

Yodel chief executive Mike Hancox said: "We're pleased to see the work we do as part of Collect+ delivered by Yodel recognised as one of the top services for shoppers.

"That said, while we always welcome consumer feedback and review it to help us improve our service, it is important that the MSE poll is viewed in the context of other ratings. Trustpilot puts our overall customer satisfaction score at 4.5/5, and the results from Maru/edr's survey, which each week receives responses from around 81,000 Yodel customers and has gathered over 13 million reviews to date, are markedly better than the MSE scores."