Instead of going shopping, many citizens are increasingly ordering online and having clothes, toys, etc. sent directly to their homes. This also has to do with collective bargaining agreements.
Thanks to high demand in online retail, Germany’s parcel volume is growing slightly again. Last year, 4.175 billion shipments were transported, 0.6 percent more than in 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 percent, which was due to the end of the corona pandemic and the associated decline in online orders.
In 2023, it initially looked like the downward trend would continue, but shipment volumes then picked up again in the second half of the year. The parcel industry has experienced a boom during the Corona period, with the number of shipments transported shooting up by 11.2 percent in 2021.
Last year, business developed differently in the different market segments: shipments sent by companies to consumers (B2C, “Business to Consumer”) rose significantly. This was because collective bargaining agreements had led to higher wages and salaries and private consumption had stabilized – people were therefore ordering relatively much online, which meant that many packages were being sent. The volume of shipments from companies to companies (B2B, Business to Business), on the other hand, fell because the economy was weakening and companies needed fewer spare parts and other goods for their business.
Stronger growth in 2025
In the longer term, the industry association BPEX and the consulting firm KE-Consult commissioned by it expect further growth, with a shipment volume of around 4.7 billion shipments expected for 2028. According to the forecast, the increase this year will only be slight, but from 2025 onwards growth could accelerate due to an economic recovery in Germany and in important foreign markets.
The shipment volume included in the study includes courier and express deliveries and – and this is the largest share – parcels. The market leader is DHL, competitors include DPD, Hermes, GLS, Fedex and UPS. According to the study, around 260,500 people worked in Germany’s courier, express and parcel industry last year, which was around one percent more than the year before.
Source: Stern
