Delivery reliability, checkout transparency and cost efficiency are emerging as key priorities for retailers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), according to FarEye’s latest Eye on the Last Mile EMEA 2026 report. Unveiled at the company’s Last Mile Leaders EMEA 2026 summit in Amsterdam, the report found that 63% of surveyed logistics and delivery businesses say reliability matters most to customers, compared with just 11% who identify speed.
Based on responses from more than 500 logistics and delivery leaders, the findings highlight a gap between delivery offerings and customer expectations. While 43% of businesses offer same-day or expedited delivery, only 27% display a delivery date before checkout. These findings highlight opportunities for retailers to improve delivery transparency and offer more predictable delivery experiences.
Cost efficiency remains equally important, with 96% of surveyed businesses reporting an increase in cost per delivery, with a typical rise of 9% over the past year. Additionally, 76% reported delivery costs growing at least as fast as revenue. The report highlights the importance of understanding the full cost of each delivery, including transportation expenses, delivery exceptions and operational inefficiencies, to support more informed retail delivery decisions.
“Rising delivery costs are exposing a fundamental challenge in last-mile operations: businesses may outsource execution, but they cannot outsource accountability for cost and customer experience,” said Kushal Nahata, CEO and co-founder, FarEye. “The real opportunity lies in gaining greater visibility across fragmented carrier networks, understanding the full cost of each delivery and making commitments customers can rely on. As AI adoption accelerates, the focus must shift from isolated applications to measurable improvements in delivery performance and economics.”
Technology is also playing a growing role in delivery operations. The report found that 69% of surveyed businesses are implementing or already operating AI, although only 18% have deployed it at scale. Applications such as demand forecasting, customer support and delivery-time prediction offer opportunities to improve planning and delivery accuracy. For retailers, combining these capabilities with greater carrier visibility and transparent checkout commitments could support a more reliable and efficient delivery experience.
Eye on the Last Mile EMEA 2026 draws on responses from more than 500 logistics and delivery leaders across EMEA, generating over 4,000 data points across 32 questions.
