Orders on the Internet - More parcels are being sent again
Due to high demand in online trading, Germany's package volume is growing slightly again. In the past year, 4.175 billion consignments were handled and this represents a 0.6% increase compared to 2022, according to a study by the Federal Association of Parcel and Express Logistics (BPEX). In 2022, there was a significant decrease of 7.9%, which was due to the end of the Corona pandemic and the subsequent decline in online orders.
At first, it looked like a continuation of the downward trend in the second half of 2023, but then package volumes picked up again. The parcel industry experienced a boom during Corona times, with the number of consignments shipped in 2021 increasing by 11.2% compared to the previous year.
The business development varied in different market segments in the past year: The volume of consignments sent from businesses to consumers (B2C, "Business to Consumer") increased significantly. This was due to labor agreements leading to higher wages and salaries, and the private consumption remained stable - people ordered relatively a lot online, resulting in many packages being sent. On the other hand, the volume of consignments sent from businesses to businesses (B2B, Business to Business) decreased, as the economy was weak and companies needed fewer spare parts and other goods for their business.
The industry association BPEX and the consulting firm KE-Consult expect stronger growth in the long term. For 2028, they forecast a package volume of around 4.7 billion consignments. This growth is expected to be only slight in the coming year, but starting in 2025, growth could accelerate due to economic stimulus in Germany and important foreign markets.
The consignment volume in the study includes courier and express deliveries, and the largest share is made up of packages. Market leaders include DHL, with competitors such as DPD, Hermes, GLS, Fedex, and UPS. According to the study, around 260,500 people worked in Germany's courier, express, and parcel industry in the previous year, which was about one percent more than the previous year.
In Berlin, numerous online retailers have seen an increase in their service offerings due to the convenience they provide during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. These services often rely heavily on postal services for delivering clothes and other items directly to customers' doors.
Germany's postal services have played a significant role in supporting the country's trade during the pandemic. The surge in online orders has led to an increase in package volumes, making postal services an essential component of the German economy.
In an effort to promote sustainable practices, several German companies have begun exploring the use of eco-friendly packaging options for their clothes and other shipped goods, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of the industry's growing package volume.
