What packaging approach minimizes bottle breakages during courier delivery?

Breakage prevention depends primarily on packaging quality rather than the courier used. Members emphasize that **robust packaging is essential** — assume packages will be thrown around and subjected to impacts regardless of the carrier.

**Key recommendations:**

- **Assume rough handling** — design packaging for packages that will be bumped and thrown, not handled with care - **Check courier insurance and liquid policies** — verify that your chosen carrier actually covers alcoholic beverages and offers meaningful breakage insurance, as many couriers exclude liquids or offer limited cover - **Courier selection is secondary** — while DPD has mixed reviews (some members report reliable service; others experienced losses and safe-place delivery failures), members note that courier reliability varies by local depot rather than by company brand alone. Quality of packaging matters more than courier choice - **Budget for better packaging over cheaper couriers** — cheaper carriers operate under pressure to deliver high volumes quickly and take less care; investing in superior packaging is a better breakage-prevention strategy than selecting a budget courier

**Caveats:** Members reported significant frustration with DPD local (blue) service, including parcels delivered to wrong addresses with no slip and multiple losses. Even "reliable" couriers can fail, reinforcing that packaging robustness is the primary control.