Key facts
- Evri is suing the BBC for approximately £1.2 million in damages.
- The lawsuit is over a segment of the Panorama documentary 'Evri: Where's My Parcel?', broadcast in December.
- Evri alleges the documentary made defamatory claims about its business practices and courier pay.
- The company claims the broadcast resulted in the loss of prospective contracts worth over £1.1 million.
- Evri is seeking special damages of around £1.2 million, general damages, and an injunction.
Delivery firm Evri is pursuing a libel lawsuit against the BBC, seeking approximately £1.2 million in damages. The company alleges that a segment within the BBC's Panorama documentary, titled 'Evri: Where's My Parcel?' and broadcast in December, caused it "serious financial loss" and reputational harm.
In court documents, Evri's barristers claim the 15-minute segment wrongly suggested the company employed exploitative business practices and misled Parliament by falsely stating it did not underpay its couriers. Evri denies these allegations.
The company contends that the broadcast led to the loss of prospective contracts valued at around £1.1 million, prompting its claim for "special damages" of approximately £1.2 million. Evri is also seeking "general damages" and an injunction to prevent the BBC from repeating the claims.
Evri, which delivers about 900 million parcels annually, stated that the allegations in the segment caused harm to its reputation. The documentary, still available online, investigates pressures within delivery units and features complaints from customers and couriers struggling to earn a living.
Evri's management also reportedly spent an estimated £32,843 on addressing client concerns and providing evidence to a House of Commons committee as a direct consequence of the broadcast. Lawyers for Evri also anticipate future financial losses due to potential impacts on courier recruitment.
The BBC has not yet filed a defence to the legal action and has stated it does not comment on ongoing proceedings.