Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the finding by Citizens Advice in 2021 that 5.5 million people had a parcel lost or stolen in the 12 months leading up to 31 July 2021, what plans they have to persuade courier companies to include parcel tracking in their base level of service.

It is for retailers to determine the delivery services they make available to their customers and the Government has no plans to ask courier companies to provide tracking as standard.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, it is the seller’s responsibility to ensure items ordered are delivered and Ofcom, as the independent regulator for the postal sector, has imposed an ‘Essential Condition’ requiring relevant parcel delivery companies to take all reasonable steps to minimise exposure of postal packets to risk of loss, theft, damage or interference.