United Kingdom

Parcel delivery firm Yodel has said it is in the "final stages" of talks over options for the company amid concern over its future.

The company, which employs about 10,000 people, said discussions with "interested parties" were ongoing and "constructive".

Reports suggest the firm is looking for a buyer, and that it could call in administrators if one is not found.

Yodel said its "operations continue without any disruption".

The firm is owned by the Barclay family and one of its largest clients is online retailer Very, which is also owned by the Barclays.

On Wednesday, Sky reported that the Barclay family was urgently seeking a buyer for Yodel, with The Delivery Group among the possible suitors.

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Yodel is one of the biggest courier companies in the UK. Last year, it delivered 191 million parcels, with revenues up 3.4%.

However, last year Citizens Advice rated Yodel as the joint worst of the largest five UK courier firms. Along with Evri, it was given an overall score of two points out of five.

According to Yodel's website the company works with retailers such as Zara, JD Sports and John Lewis, although the BBC understands that the firm only delivers a small percentage of John Lewis goods.

Retail analyst Catherine Shuttleworth told the BBC that the market for delivering parcels was "incredibly competitive, it's really cut-throat".

"Yodel have got stuck in a place where they're a small player in what has become a very, very big market," she said.

However, if Yodel left the market she does not think retailers will have a problem finding alternative couriers.

"They'll swap to an alternative supplier, the market is full of them. They'll very easily shift their volume to somebody else."