The humble postman is facing stiff competition in the country’s affections with half of Brits (47%) saying delivery drivers now play a more important role in their community than posties.
A similar figure (40%) said they feel as much warmth and affection towards delivery drivers as they do towards their postman, reflecting the boom in online shopping and home deliveries.
The findings, from Mercedes-Benz Vans’ new Under the Bonnet report, also reveal delivery drivers make more visits to households than the postman – knocking on our doors an average of 2.7 times a week, compared with 2.3 times a week for postmen.
The trends are particularly pronounced among younger Brits, who have grown up with on-demand deliveries and buying on sites such as Vinted. For 18-34-year-olds, the average weekly number of van deliveries rises to 5.4 compared with 2.5 postal visits.
Soaring home deliveries have led to a 37% increase in the number of vans on UK roads; in 2012 there were 3.2 million, by 2022 the number had risen to 4.5 million.
The Mercedes-Benz Vans report also looks at the changing nature of our relationships with the trades and service sectors who visit us at home.
It reveals customers are building up closer and more trusting relationships with delivery drivers – which include supermarket and parcel delivery drivers – with a third (33%) saying they’d offer a delivery driver a glass of water on a hot day compared with 25% who’d do the same for a postman and 22% for a tradesperson.
Almost one in 10 (9%) would ask a tradesperson or delivery driver (8%) for local service recommendations and 15% said they’d chat to a delivery driver about their family or daily life. That compares with 13% who’d have a similar chat with their postie and 12% who’d talk to a tradesperson about their home life. Just 4% said they’d chat to a takeaway delivery driver.
Mercedes-Benz Vans research found nearly a quarter (24%) would let a supermarket or delivery driver into their home to use their toilet, compared with 20% who’d allow a tradesperson to use their facilities. Less than one in five (19%) would let the postie in and just 7% would allow a takeaway driver to use their bathroom.
Sarah Palfreyman, sales director for Mercedes-Benz Vans in the UK, said: “Our Under the Bonnet report demonstrates the crucial role van drivers play in our communities, fuelled by the rise in online shopping and home deliveries.
“We’re proud to keep van drivers moving with reliable transport, so they can continue to carry out their increasingly important work within our communities.”
