UK ecommerce growth in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025 was increasingly shaped by category-specific demand and delivery expectations, with strong performance in pet care, beauty and expedited delivery services offsetting sharp declines in fashion and homewares, according to new data from Scurri Unpacked, the quarterly ecommerce shipping insights platform from delivery management and customer experience provider Scurri.
Category-specific demand
Performance varied significantly by sector during the Golden Quarter. Pet Care emerged as the fastest-growing category, with shipment volumes up +35.2% year on year, reflecting the continued premiumisation of pet ownership and the strength of subscription-led purchasing models. Beauty and Cosmetics grew +10.3% YoY, underlining the resilience of the category during peak gifting periods where speed, certainty and presentation matter most.
By contrast, Fashion shipments declined -9.1% YoY, while Homewares fell sharply (-24.6%), pointing to ongoing consumer caution around discretionary and big-ticket purchases. Food and Drink remained relatively stable (+2.6%), while Gifting dipped slightly (-3.1%) following a particularly strong Q4 in 2024.
Delivery choices
Delivery choices further highlight how shopper expectations differ by category. More than 92% of Beauty and Cosmetics shipments in Q4 used Express, Next Day or Tracked Two-Day services, reinforcing how speed and delivery certainty have become non-negotiable in premium and time-sensitive categories. Fashion shipments showed a lower reliance on expedited delivery (56%), reflecting both price sensitivity and limited availability of premium delivery options, while Food and Drink skewed heavily towards Next Day and Weekend services, driven by freshness and fulfilment timing requirements.
Against this backdrop, volume data from Scurri indicated +17% year on year growth in Q4 2025, increasing from 41.4 million to 48.7 million parcels processed through their platform. Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) grew in parallel (+17%), rising from €4.44bn to €5.21bn, indicating that consumer demand held up during peak despite continued pressure on household budgets.
Momentum built steadily through the quarter. October volumes based on the Scurri platform data increased +18.2% YoY, followed by a strong November (+19.2%) as Black Friday and Cyber Week trading peaked, before moderating slightly in December (+14.3%), influenced by delivery cut-off pressures and more cautious late-season spending.
Cross-border ecommerce flows based on the Scurri platform data also shifted markedly in Q4. Shipments to European destinations such as Germany (+34.7%), Poland (+27.5%), Belgium (+29.8%) and Denmark (+23.4%) recorded strong year-on-year growth, while volumes to the United States (-31.3%) and Canada (-39.2%) declined sharply, reflecting the impact of tariffs, customs complexity and rising costs on transatlantic trade.
These figures show how quickly ecommerce responds to changes in both consumer behaviour and trade conditions. While demand across Europe remains strong, additional friction in markets such as the US and Canada is clearly influencing retailer fulfilment strategies during peak trading.
– Rory O’Connor, Founder and CEO, Scurri
Shoppers prioritise speed and flexibility at peak
The demand for faster and more flexible delivery options remained a defining feature of Q4 2025. Weekend delivery volumes based on the Scurri platform rose +24.2% YoY, while Two-Man delivery increased +24.9%, driven by higher-value items and the need for reliable, appointment-based fulfilment during peak.
Next Day delivery volumes based on the Scurri platform grew +11.6%, reinforcing shoppers’ willingness to pay for speed when it matters most, while Standard delivery increased +6.0%. Signature on delivery declined slightly (-1.8%), suggesting that convenience and timing are increasingly prioritised over security during the busiest shopping periods.
Golden Quarter performance consistently shows that delivery is a front-line experience shaping conversion, trust and repeat purchase. Retailers that offer the right mix of speed, flexibility and transparency during peak are best positioned to protect both margin and customer loyalty.
– Rory O’Connor, Founder and CEO, Scurri
