Valentine's drives sharp rise in UK eCommerce orders

UK eCommerce order volumes rose sharply in the run-up to Valentine's Day 2026. The biggest increases came at the start of the week, as shoppers sought delivery options suited to a weekend event.

Data from delivery management provider Scurri showed order volumes peaking on Sunday 8 February, up 102.5% year on year. Monday 9 February followed with a 76.3% uplift. Growth then eased but remained positive through Friday 13 February.

Performance fluctuated during the week, reflecting typical event-driven trading patterns. Tuesday 10 February fell 19.8% compared with the same day a year earlier. Valentine's Day itself was down 20.7% year on year, suggesting many customers ordered earlier to avoid delivery uncertainty.

Delivery choices

Delivery patterns indicated a stronger focus on timing. Weekend delivery volumes rose 43.88% year on year, aligning with Valentine's Day falling on a Saturday. Next Day delivery increased 26.40%.

Slower services saw smaller gains: Standard delivery grew 3.78% and Two Day delivery rose 2.89%. Signature services declined 19.45% year on year.

The drop in signature options contrasted with the rise in faster services, suggesting some shoppers wanted fewer steps on arrival even as they prioritised speed.

For retailers and carriers, the figures show how peak periods can reshape demand across delivery products. A weekend event places more emphasis on earlier order cut-offs and delivery slots, and reduces the appeal of services that depend on recipients being at home at a specific time.

Category shifts

Category performance was strongest in sectors that do not always dominate Valentine's marketing. Toys rose 86.3% year on year and Sports Equipment increased 31.7%. Tool & DIY grew 21.0% and Fashion rose 14.3%.

Garden & Outdoor increased 8.7%, while Motor rose 4.5%.

Several traditional Valentine's categories declined. Gifting fell 15.8% year on year, Cosmetics dropped 31.8%, and Homewares declined 34.1%.

The mix pointed to a wider range of gifting choices, with some spending shifting towards hobbies and activities.

Delivery strategy also became part of the purchasing decision, particularly for a Saturday celebration. Ordering earlier reduces the risk of missing the date and gives shoppers more flexibility if preferred slots sell out later in the week.

Rory O'Connor, founder and CEO of Scurri, linked the early-week surge to delivery considerations at checkout.

"Our Valentine's data underlines a key trend we continue to see across peak trading moments: shoppers are increasingly delivery-aware. They are planning around cut-off times, weekend availability and next-day options to remove risk from the purchase decision. Retailers can capitalise on these trends by bringing delivery forward in the buyer journey, including placing delivery options at checkout to drive checkout completion rates," O'Connor said.

Scurri provides delivery management software for online retailers and manages more than 200 million parcel deliveries each year. Its eCommerce customers include The Perfume Shop, Butternut Box, Gousto and Bulk Powders, and it integrates with carriers including UPS, Royal Mail, An Post, HIVED, DHL, TNT, DPD, Yodel and Evri.

O'Connor also highlighted the link between delivery confidence and demand during seasonal peaks.

"During seasonal events, alongside product range and promotional messaging, it is important to ensure that the right delivery options are visible, reliable and easy to select at checkout. When customers are confident their order will arrive on time, conversion follows. When that confidence drops, so does demand," he said.