Germany leads the way on parcel lockers, says new report
A report on European parcel shops and locker networks has found that “by far the largest number of locations is currently in Germany”. The report adds that of the other countries, “France and the UK both have extensive networks with Belgium and the Netherlands – given their smaller size, also being well-served”.
The most important driver of demand for locations is – unsurprisingly – the level of business-to-consumer (B2C) parcels generated by home shopping.
European Parcel Shop and Locker Networks Market Insight Report 2015 is published by Apex Insight and updates a study which the company published last year.
The report adds: “In some countries there are now more parcel shops than post offices. In several countries there has been convergence between post offices and parcel shops with the traditional standalone post office becoming much less common in Germany, the UK and elsewhere.”
Surveying the “competitive landscape”, the report notes: “Many of the leading European parcel carriers, in particular those with a focus on consumer deliveries, are now involved in building up their own networks.
“The most extensive network is that of Otto, which owns the Hermes and Mondial Relay networks, followed by DPD, DHL and UPS.
“There are also independent players, of which the largest – since the acquisition of Kiala by UPS – is InPost.”
The report was published in July and is now available for purchase. Click here for more information about obtaining the report.