Swiss Post delays price increases for international and domestic parcels

Swiss Post will delay its earlier announced price increases for international and domestic parcels as it is searching for an amicable solution together with national price regulators

Swiss Post will delay its earlier announced price increases for international and domestic parcels as it is searching for an amicable solution together with national price regulators.

Due to the current negotiations with the Swiss price watchdog, the postal operator is postponing its pricing measures for international shipments and domestic parcels, originally planned for 1 April.

Swiss Post said in February that it planned to increase prices for international letters, parcels and courier items by about 7%. Prices for domestic parcels would change, with a one franc increase for small packages up to 5kg and a one franc reduction for parcels weighing 5 – 30kg.

Along with the price adjustments of domestic rates and international items, prices for addressed domestic letters are due to be increased from 1 July in line with the upcoming postal liberalisation and the monopoly limit of 50 g.

In addition to the new pricing policy, Swiss Post plans to build up its financial services in response to the increasing demand for loans in Switzerland. As a start, Swiss minister for infrastructure Moritz Leuenberger is thinking about the national postal operator offering loans within the country. This would include loans to small and medium-sized enterprises and mortgages, the national newspaper “Basler Zeitung” reported.

Leuenberger pointed out that the company would not become a fully-fledged bank. The changes should be made by the end of 2009, the minister added.