PostNord in Sweden will trial the use of parcel lockers later in 2020, following some success with the use of lockers in its parallel operation in Denmark.

The Nordic universal service provider is just one of many delivery operators that are developing additional delivery points as a means of providing more convenient services for postal customers and to enhance the efficiency of their operations.

Parcel lockers are used in many European countries, although with a significant variation in their availability and popularity across different countries. In some countries, the traditional postal operator has led the rollout of lockers, such as in Finland and Spain, while in other countries, such as Poland, the locker networks are operated by alternative providers.

The growing use of parcel lockers and parcel shops (typically, these are small retail outlets that accept packages to be picked up by the recipient) is driven primarily by e-commerce. Increasing parcel traffic has led to a demand for more convenient ways to deliver and collect packages at all times of the day and, for delivery operators, to avoid wasted delivery attempts.

Cullen International’s Postal service continually tracks and compares the performance, strategies and operational deployments of postal and delivery operators in Europe.

Our enhanced benchmark on post office and parcel delivery networks shows the extent to which countries have adapted their delivery methods to add new parcel delivery locations, including parcel locker networks.

Regulators have also recognised this trend, encouraging the use of lockers in the Netherlands, formally accepting lockers as a possible alternative to home delivery in Portugal, and reviewing the possible need to ensure wider access to such networks in Italy.

To access our benchmark on post office and parcel delivery networks, please click on “Access the full content” or on “Request Access”, in case you are not subscribed to our Postal service.