PostNL sees surge in online delivery and greeting cards
Impact of corona measures
The Hague, the Netherlands, 25 March 2020 – Government measures to address the coronavirus have led to a surge in online orders in the Netherlands and Belgium. Because of the large number of orders, the impact of corona measures such as social distancing, non-contact delivery and higher numbers of staff unable to work due to illness, there may be some delays in parcel deliveries at the local level. Mail deliveries are running as scheduled. People are sending lots of cards to keep each other’s spirits up in these difficult times.
Herna Verhagen, PostNL’s CEO, said: “The simple fact that we’ve managed to continue our mail and parcel deliveries – and so enable people to stay at home – is a huge tribute to everyone working for and with us. Of course, I’m talking about our postmen and women hitting the streets and delivering mail and parcels everywhere, but also about every single one of our people helping to make it all happen: those sorting, preparing, processing and transporting, and everyone else playing their part in this logistics operation. I’m very proud of and have tremendous respect for our people, whose sheer dedication and commitment are making it possible for us to continue to deliver post and parcels. We would ask everyone out there to give them plenty of space, and so enable them to do their jobs safely.”
The Netherlands and Belgium at home: more online deliveries
With people staying at home and bricks-and-mortar shops closing their doors, online orders have been on a steep upward trend, with the convenience of online shopping changing into a necessity to buy supplies from web shops. PostNL is doing everything in its power to continue to deliver on time as much as possible, but the sheer volume of business, corona measures and staff shortages because of illness may cause delays at local level. For more information, check Track&Trace and the PostNL website.
Post and parcel deliveries provide a vital service to society
Earlier, PostNL announced that it will continue to deliver post and parcels where and when it can, as this will help people observe government guidelines and stay at home as much as is practicable. It also helps the elderly and vulnerable groups in our communities to stay in touch with their loved ones. And companies can reach their customers, keeping social interaction going. All of this, of course, on condition that PostNL’s people are able continue to do their work safely and in good health, and that all the RIVM guidelines can be observed (RIVM is the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment).
About PostNL
We are PostNL, the mail and logistics solutions provider for all. With our mail and parcel deliverers who get everywhere, our over 4,800 PostNL locations and 11,000 postboxes, we are always nearby. We aim to be our customers’ favourite deliverer by making it as easy as possible for them to send and receive parcels and letters. Our over 37,000 people are right at the heart of society. On weekdays, we deliver an average 1.2 million parcels and 8 million letters across the Benelux region. Our focus is on quality for our customers, creating opportunities for our people and adding value for our stakeholders through growth, digitalisation and sustainability initiatives.
We optimise and support our physical networks by using smart digital solutions and launching new propositions that create value for our customers. We build long-lasting working relationships by acting as a good employer and client for everyone who works for and with us. To make our deliveries as sustainable as possible, we cover a lot of kilometres on foot or by bicycle or e-bike, provide innovative city logistics, use cleaner fuels, and use electric vans and light electric trucks. PostNL NV is a listed company with revenues of €3.5 billion in 2021. We provide deliveries of mail and parcels, logistics solutions for e-commerce, and cross-border solutions.