Because more people are at home because of the corona virus, the need for parcel deliveries to the front door is increasing. What the crisis means for the couriers.
- People only go to the supermarket for shopping.
- The need for parcels at the front door is increasing - but the parcel service industry as a whole is suffering.
- Because companies also order fewer packages. There is significantly less business mail.
Corona crisis: More packages at the front door
Many people are at home in the Corona crisis *. Most shops are closed - because of the exit restrictions, you only go to the supermarket or (some) to work to go shopping. However, many employees had to apply for short-time work * - others work in their home office.
This also affects parcel services . The consequences: The need for goods deliveries to the front door increases. But despite the fact that shops are closed, the Corona crisis has an overall negative impact on the parcel and courier industry.
Corona pandemic problems for couriers
" The sub-sectors are all very badly affected . On average, much more is lost than is added," says Andreas Schumann, chairman of the Federal Association of Courier Express Post Services (BdKEP), according to a report by the German Press Agency (dpa). This includes subcontractors of large parcel services such as DHL and DPD.
Many shops are closed and the need for goods deliveries is increasing right up to the front door. However, the industry is suffering from the closed borders to countries in which many goods are manufactured. " The world postal system is shut down very strongly . Mail items are missing in the volume flows."
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Less business mail in the Corona crisis
Many service providers also have problems with the fact that companies receive and send fewer packages. Industry experts anticipated a decline of more than 70 percent, according to the website "Corona Lagezentrum", which the association has created.
City couriers are currently supplying technical equipment to company employees so that they can work in their home office. In part, they would also have to send letters of termination * . "At the same time, there are no lucrative deliveries, for example from a business center to the branches. Usually, several packages are delivered and paid for at the same address." Many courier and parcel services have a mixed calculation and are dependent on the business deliveries in order to be able to work economically.
Because of home office more recipients of parcels at home
According to Schumann, the situation is similar for many pharmacists, as dpa reports - who collect samples from doctor's offices and bring them to laboratories. "Many are currently transporting corona samples. At the same time, the pick-up stops take significantly longer due to the elaborate protective measures. This makes the tours uneconomical."
According to a spokeswoman, the Federal Association of Parcel & Express Logistics (BIEK), to which the major parcel suppliers belong, is currently not finding any increase in the number of broadcasts. "The increased home office activity has a positive impact in that the recipients are more often found at home by the delivery staff."
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* merkur.de is part of the nationwide central Ippen editorial network.