Delivery firm Evri sues BBC for £1.2m over Panorama documentary
Private equity-owned delivery company Evri is suing the BBC for £1.2m, highlighting the reputational risks facing Europe's competitive logistics sector over worker pay standards.
Evri has filed a claim at the High Court against the BBC seeking £1.2m in special damages over a Panorama documentary titled "Evri: Where’s my parcel?" which aired in December 2025. The company alleges the programme caused serious financial loss by wrongly suggesting it used exploitative business practices to pay couriers less than the national minimum wage.
Barristers acting for Evri, including Hugh Tomlinson KC, outlined the specific grievances in court documents. They argue the broadcast meant to convey that the company misled parliament by providing false categorical assurances that couriers were not unlawfully paid below the minimum wage.
Alongside the £1.2m sought for lost prospective client contracts, the delivery firm is pursuing general damages and an injunction to prevent the BBC from repeating the allegations. The documentary remains available on the BBC’s iPlayer streaming service, but it now carries a note dated 1 July stating it is the subject of a libel claim.
Evri firmly disputes the programme's findings. The company insists it provides a fast, reliable and cost-effective delivery service, and maintains that its couriers earn more than the legal minimum. A spokesperson for Evri confirmed the defamation claim but declined to comment further, while the BBC stated it does not discuss ongoing legal proceedings.
The lawsuit highlights the intense pressure on companies operating in Europe's rapidly expanding e-commerce logistics market. Demand for small parcel delivery has surged over the last decade, creating a fiercely competitive environment where labour costs and contractor conditions face heavy public and regulatory scrutiny.
Evri sits at the intersection of UK and continental European logistics networks. Originally part of the German mail order group Otto, the company was rebranded from Hermes in 2022. It merged last year with the UK e-commerce arm of DHL, a postal company headquartered in Germany, before being acquired by US private equity firm Apollo Capital Management from Advent International for £2.7bn in 2024.
For investors monitoring European delivery assets, the legal action illustrates the reputational risks inherent in the sector. Media scrutiny of working conditions can rapidly translate into lost contracts and financial damage for private equity-backed logistics firms operating across the continent.
