Welwyn Garden City, 27 December 2023: A resident in Hull became the first person in the UK to return a potentially unwanted Christmas present, data from PayPoint reveals today.

In the early hours of Christmas morning, the first parcel was returned to a Collect+ store at 02:57. The next return was made in Bootle, Merseyside at 6:43 followed by London at 07:28. Throughout December 2023, the Collect+ network managed more than 4.5 million (4,529,732) parcels as gifts were processed ahead of the festive period.

On Christmas Day itself, the most returns took place in London where 231 parcels were returned to retailers. In total, 1,347 people across the UK used the Collect+ service at their local convenience store to make a return on Christmas Day.

Nick Williams - Director of Parcel Services at PayPoint said: “In the run up to Christmas, people are always looking for a convenient way to collect online orders to make their present shopping experience quick and easy!

“While it seems some choices were not quite right this year with 1,666 parcels being returned on Christmas Day itself, we are proud of the service our retail partners provide to their local communities, being there at a time when most other stores and Post Offices are closed.”

Collect+ is a network of locations made up of thousands of newsagents, convenience stores, supermarkets and petrol stations. It allows customers to collect or return parcels at a time that best suits them, with the majority of stores being open 7-days a week, early ’til late.

Swiftest Christmas Day Returns - Top 5

02:57am – Hull
06:43am – Bootle, Merseyside
07:28am – London
08:10am – Aldershot
08:47am – Guildford