Penn Elcom: More than 42 million packages lost or stolen in the US in just 12 months with one in ten people being affected

USA - English

• USA - English

• First global report on parcel theft
• 13% of US residents had a parcel lost or stolen between May 2021 and April 2022 – up 3.2 million people on the previous 12 months and equating to over 42 million packages nationally
• One in ten people globally are now reluctant to shop online because of fear of theft
• Just over one in ten (12%) US residents have looked into porch piracy prevention measures

LONDON, Oct. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Doorstep parcel theft is sweeping the US, according to the first global report on parcel theft. More than 42 million parcels were lost or stolen, a 1% increase compared to the previous 12 months, costing US consumers an estimated $1.8 billion in lost or stolen goods.¹

The results are part of the world's first global parcel theft survey which found that close to one in ten people had at least one parcel lost or stolen from May 2021 to April 2022. This amounts to a staggering 1.009 billion packages² globally, at a total cost of $38.81 billion.¹

Worldwide, there was an all-time high of stolen or lost parcels with an estimated rise of 155 million² compared to the previous 12 months, despite initiatives to tackle the surge post-covid. This is more than a 2% increase.

The Penn Elcom Global Parcel Theft Report was commissioned by Penn Elcom, a globally recognised British steel manufacturer and producer of the Penn Parcel Box, and sponsored exclusively by Scurri, the world's leading courier management platform for eCommerce and shipping, and produced by YouGov. It revealed that the US came fourth in countries surveyed for parcel theft increases (+1%), topped by the UK (+5%), Australia (+3%) and Canada (+2%), with the proportion of US respondents saying they had had a parcel lost or stolen up from 12% between May 2021 and April 2022.

US regional hot spots in parcel theft and loss from May 2021 to April 2022 include:

• 1.1 million² additional parcel thefts and loss in the North East (up 3%)
• 2 million² additional parcel thefts and loss in the South (up 3%)
• 2.3 million² additional parcel thefts and loss in the West (up 3%)

The Midwest was the only region to see a decrease in porch piracy, with a 1% reduction of parcel theft or loss on the previous 12 months.

The psychological impact

The survey found that one in five people (20%) are anxious about parcel theft – a third of whom fear that the parcels they send and receive are also at risk of being stolen. Porch piracy anxiety means 33 million¹ Americans are now reluctant to place online orders.

The Penn Elcom Parcel Theft Report also revealed that a staggering 36% of Americans have had at least one package lost or stolen in their lifetime, which amounts to over 118.6 million¹ parcels, with this expected to rise unless preventive measures are put in place. Despite these figures, only 12% of US respondents have ever investigated theft-prevention products for their post.

Penn Elcom's chairman, Roger Willems, said: "A surge in online shopping accelerated by Covid, along with seasonal rushes, means couriers are under intense pressure. Professional thieves are known to follow delivery vans, stealing packages minutes after they are dropped off, while opportunistic thieves take advantage of parcels left on doorsteps."

"We expect parcel piracy to continue to rise as global parcel deliveries increase³ if measures are not taken. We are doing our best to support delivery companies and save online shoppers the headache of missed deliveries – as well as the heartache of lost and stolen parcels," added Roger.

According to Google Trends, global searches for 'parcel theft' have rocketed as shoppers continue to order online, especially for seasonal holidays. The study found that one in ten people worldwide are also now reluctant to shop due to fear of theft, impacting retailers.

Gavin Murphy, CMO of Scurri, said "When parcel delivery fails at the final hurdle, the customer experience fails expectations and customers may be discouraged from buying online again from that retailer. Real-time data is critical. Simply stating that a package has been dispatched or is on board a last mile delivery vehicle is totally inadequate."

Penn Elcom is campaigning to restore confidence in online shopping and has a solution. The Penn Parcel Box, made from quality British steel and designed using Penn Elcom's decades of steel engineering expertise, is a secure, stylish, weatherproof solution for parcel deliveries for homes and businesses.

The Penn Parcel Box was developed in response to enquiries from customers who had problems with parcels going missing.

YouGov, the leading British research group, surveyed 2,000 random consumers in the UK, US, the UAE, Canada and Australia in May 2022. 50% were male and 50% female, ranging in age from 18-55 and above.

Images are available at: https://bit.ly/3fOYly2

FOR MORE INFORMATION: including interviews and a copy of the Penn Elcom Parcel Theft Report:

Mark Foxwell, [email protected], +44  (0) 7796 473020
Charlie Jones, [email protected], +44 (0) 7710 695794
Siobhan Stirling, [email protected], +44 (0) 7990 543829

NOTES TO EDITORS

Penn Elcom is a UK manufacturing success story, with 50% of sales being overseas.  Established in 1974, the company is a world leader in flight case and speaker cabinet hardware as well as 19-inch racking solutions.

The Penn Parcel Box is a stylish, secure, high-quality, contactless solution for shoppers who want peace of mind that their courier will leave their parcel at first attempt and that it will be waiting for them when they get home.  Made from weather-resistant, powder-coated British steel, with interior sealing to keep water out, it is suitable for homes, workplaces and communal spaces and is available in ivy green, slate grey, white and black. Pre-assembled and easy to install by bolting to a wall or drive/floor, the one-way delivery hatch keeps parcels, letters and boxes secure in the locked storage, which is only accessible with a key.

NOTES AND SOURCES

¹  Total price value has been estimated by average parcel cost, based on annual online retail spend versus annual volume of packages shipped
²  Survey results extrapolated to global and national populations
³  Pitney Bowes, 28.09.21: Global parcel volumes rose to 131 billion in 2020, a 27% year-on-year increase, and are predicted to double again by 2026 to 266 billion.

SOURCE Penn Elcom