Parcel delivery company Evri is suing the BBC for £1.2 million over a Panorama documentary that it claims caused serious financial loss by wrongly suggesting it used exploitative business practices and misled parliament. The company has filed particulars of claim at the High Court, stating that it lost prospective clients after the broadcast of the programme Evri: Where’s my parcel?
Details of the Claim
In court documents, barristers for Evri argue that a segment of the documentary falsely implied the company “deployed exploitative business practices” and misled parliament by falsely stating it did not underpay its couriers. Evri is seeking special damages of approximately £1.2 million for the loss of prospective contracts, as well as general damages and an injunction to prevent the BBC from repeating the claims.
Hugh Tomlinson KC, representing Evri, stated: “The segment meant and was understood to mean that the claimant deployed exploitative business practices designed to reduce pay for its couriers, with the result that they are regularly unlawfully paid less than the national minimum wage; and misled parliament by providing false categorical assurances that couriers were not unlawfully paid below the minimum wage.”
Background and Industry Context
Evri, which is private equity-owned, is one of the largest companies in the highly competitive UK small parcel delivery market. Demand has surged over the past decade due to the boom in online shopping. The company was rebranded from Hermes in 2022, having started as part of the German mail order group Otto. In 2024, Apollo Capital Management bought Evri from Advent International for £2.7 billion. It merged last year with the UK e-commerce arm of DHL.
The documentary remains available on BBC iPlayer, but now carries a note dated 1 July stating: “This broadcast is the subject of a libel claim by Evri Limited, who says it makes defamatory allegations about it.” The BBC’s description of the programme said Panorama reporters went undercover “to investigate the pressures of working in one delivery unit, speaking to unhappy customers as well as couriers who say they struggle to make a living.” It also added that Evri disputes these claims and says it provides a fast, reliable, and cost-effective service, with couriers earning more than the national minimum wage.
Responses from Parties Involved
A BBC spokesperson declined to comment on legal proceedings. An Evri spokesperson confirmed the defamation claim but said the company would not comment further as the case is ongoing.
