According to a study, the number of damaged packages arriving at doorsteps has increased by a third in the last year.
This is equivalent to 85 million damaged parcels in the last 12 months, which would fill the equivalent of more than 45,000 Olympic swimming pools.
The research among 2,000 consumers found that they were most likely to receive four parcels with cosmetic or fundamental damage in 2024, compared to three the year before.
Nearly a third (32 percent) make online purchases that are delivered to their home or work on a weekly basis.
While more people are ordering online at least once a month – an increase of 13 percent.
But 53 percent reported receiving damaged goods from online shopping in the past 12 months.
It also emerged that 57 percent would hesitate to purchase from a retailer again if they received a broken or damaged item.
Ashwin Murthy, head of design and innovation at DS Smith, who commissioned the research, said: “People are excited for Black Friday bargains, but each broken delivery bursts that bubble and contributes to the annual multi-billion pound problem .
“From home entertainment technology to weekly shops and flower pots, these days we order almost anything online, but en route the products can be dropped, impacted, bruised, And can be shaken.
“This means they need cleverly designed packaging so people aren’t frustrated with online orders arriving in pieces.”
The research also found that 29 percent had received products in parcels where the products were broken within the packaging, and 27 percent reported torn boxes.
Food items were the most common to be damaged (15 percent), along with household items such as crockery and glassware (15 percent) and entertainment products such as books or games (13 percent).
While 10 percent have consumed damaged health and beauty products, according to data from OnePoll.com.
The highest value of items received in the low-level condition was, on average, $160, although some products were sadly priced at more than $636.
The research also found that consumers are receiving damaged items of considerable value.
The average value of items received in damaged condition is $71, meaning the total damage bill is approximately $2.92 billion – the equivalent of 2.9 million iPhone 16s.
