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On the programme on Wednesday 15th January 2025, Rip Off Britain returned to an issue that viewers continue to contact us about – damaged parcels.

As part of the team’s research, Louise discovered whether the advice given by different couriers for packaging your parcels safely would pass our (very unscientific) test. She packaged a single egg in four different parcels, using some of the materials and methods advised by couriers: newspaper, bubble-wrap, empty toilet roll tubes and old clothing. Louise then dropped each parcel over a makeshift garden fence to find out whether the egg would remain in one piece.

What do couriers recommend?

The advice given by different couriers varies, particular depending on what you’re sending. Here are some of their top tips:

advises using a cushioning material like bubble-wrap to fill out containers. It says you should use padded envelopes for items with sharp edges or odd shapes, and make sure parcels are sealed securely with nylon or vinyl tape along all edges and openings.

Its website includes specific packaging advice for different items such as electronics, books, money and framed artworks. For fragile items such as glass and china, it recommends using bubble-wrap at least 5cm thick and has a video demonstrating how to package items securely.

says parcels need to be wrapped well enough to stay intact if they were to fall off a conveyor belt, which could be up to 1.2m high.

It recommends using bubble-wrap or layers of old newspaper to fold around your item, then filling in any gaps within the box using scrunched paper, layers of cardboard or old (clean) bedsheets.

Evri also advises using strong tape and says it cannot overstate the importance of securing the edges around your package, by taping down any cardboard flaps or anything that sticks out. This will help to prevent it getting stuck on a conveyor belt.

recommends being resourceful by using empty loo rolls to fill any remaining space around your item, as they’re light, cheap and capable of absorbing shock. It also suggests using scrunched-up free newspapers, or wrapping up smaller items using old clothes – which it says can be sent back and forth.

says heavy-duty boxes made from corrugated cardboard provide the most suitable protection for sending fragile items. It advises using a box similar to the size of your item, but with a little room to add a protective layer of bubble-wrap, polystyrene, Styrofoam or corrugated liners. DHL suggests avoiding using newpaper which it says only offers a thin layer of protection.

says internal packaging must always be used to cushion your items, to prevent damage from impact and vibrations during transit and to eliminate any internal movement within the parcel. Depending on your item, it suggests using bubble-wrap, foam sheeting, polystyrene or cardboard (as support structure). It advises you avoid re-using cardboard boxes for deliveries more than once, as they can lose their strength and rigidity after use.

points out that your parcel will pass across various machinery and may have other items stacked on top of it. It says you should make sure your item doesn’t touch the side of the box, but leave around 5cm of room on each side for packaging materials such as scrunched newpaper, old clothing or bubble wrap. It says you should avoid packaging items inside a tube or cylinder, which can roll around and increase the risk of damage.

Watch the report on Rip Off Britain on Wednesday 15 January at 10:45 on 麻豆官网首页入口 One, and afterwards on 麻豆官网首页入口 iPlayer.