After the increase at the beginning of 2022, Swiss Post would like to increase letter postage again. Normally, this only happens once every three years. But the company doesn't want to wait that long this time.
Bonn - Letters could become more expensive as early as 2024 - a year earlier than expected. At the turn of the year, the postage for a standard letter could rise to 95 cents. Deutsche Post has submitted a corresponding application to the Federal Network Agency. Prices for other postal services are also expected to rise. In view of drastically increased costs due to inflation, higher energy prices, the latest collective bargaining agreement and unexpectedly sharply decreasing letter volumes, there is no way around a premature increase, said Post manager Nikola Hagleitner, according to a statement on Tuesday.
The move does not come as a surprise. At the beginning of May, the future head of Swiss Post, Tobias Meyer, had already declared that the possibility of an early postage increase would be examined. According to Swiss Post, the letter price in Germany is now a good 40 percent below the European average.
Deutsche Post wants to raise postage: Federal Network Agency must give the green light
Swiss Post is not allowed to determine the postage itself. Instead, the Federal Network Agency is making specifications on how Swiss Post may turn the price screw. Usually this happens every three years. The current postage has been in force since the beginning of 2022, when the domestic standard letter rose in price from 80 to 85 cents. At that time, the network agency had assumed an inflation rate of 1.5 percent. However, the number of letters sent has been decreasing for years. As a result, the costs have to be passed on to fewer and fewer letters. In addition, wages and salaries are rising significantly. The current postage actually expires at the end of 2024. It was set at a time when inflation was comparatively low. (dpa/utz)
