InPost UK Returns: QR Codes, Full Lockers and Parcel Tracking

An InPost QR code gets a return parcel into the carrier’s network; it does not itself authorise the shop’s refund. If the locker is full, your code will not scan or you need to know where a parcel has gone, the useful information depends on whether your parcel is still with you or has already been accepted. Keep the retailer’s return reference and the InPost tracking details separate.

Start with the retailer-approved return

InPost’s official UK returns instructions say customers may generate a code through the retailer’s chosen flow or follow instructions supplied with an order. Where that service is available, scan the QR code at a locker or present it at a participating shop; the carrier then handles transport. Check the retailer’s policy for the permitted return window, packaging and any charge. A working InPost QR code is not proof that the item meets the seller’s refund conditions.

If the compartment does not suit your parcel

InPost specifies a size and weight limit for its lockers and advises users not to force a package into a compartment that is too small. If a locker is full, use the availability information to find another location or return when space is available. Put only one parcel in each compartment and follow the instructions on screen to confirm deposit. A successful QR scan without a parcel actually deposited should not be treated as a completed handover.

What tracking does and does not tell you

After deposit, keep the receipt, confirmation message or tracking reference produced by the return service. Tracking may show the carrier accepting and moving the parcel before the retailer checks its contents and processes the return. If the retail account still shows the item as not received, compare the return reference with the tracking events and the retailer’s stated processing stages. A carrier’s delivery scan is useful information, but not a promise of same-day repayment.

Choose the right support team

The InPost UK contact page provides help for a locker, code or delivery problem and explains that questions about getting a purchase refund should be directed to the retailer or marketplace. If you used an independent send-a-parcel service rather than a retail return, identify the sender and paid service on the confirmation. A parcel returned to sender or placed in a different locker is a delivery issue; a rejected shop return is a separate decision.

A practical example

You scan a valid return code, but the only available locker is too small for the box. Do not cram the item in or leave it beside the machine. Find an alternative InPost location, then complete the on-screen deposit and keep the new tracking confirmation. If you later see the retailer still showing a pending refund, check the shop’s receipt and inspection stages rather than assuming InPost decides eligibility.

Official help and checking your details

For technical issues with a QR code, locker or tracking entry, use InPost’s official contact page and quote the relevant tracking number and locker location. For the amount or timing of a retail refund, use the merchant’s official help channel. Never share QR codes publicly while a return is live. This guide explains the difference between the carrier’s handling of a parcel and a retailer’s refund decision.

Policy checked on 20 September 2026 against the linked provider pages. RefundTerms is an independent guide, not the provider or its support team. The published terms and the details of your own order determine which process is available.