The courier, specific, and parcel sector in Germany, generally known as KEP for brief, confronted turbulent instances in 2022. There have been 360 million fewer packages delivered than within the peak yr of 2021. This interprets to a 7.9 p.c decline in package deal quantity in Germany.
In whole, 4.15 billion shipments have been delivered final yr within the non-public and enterprise markets, as reported by the German Parcel and Categorical Logistics Affiliation (BIEK) in its KEP Examine 2023. The sector’s income additionally declined, however not as a lot because the package deal quantity. The whole revenue reached round 26 billion euros final yr, a 3.5 p.c lower in comparison with 2021.
The decline in shipments could be attributed to the top of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a major lower in shopper willingness to spend and a shift from on-line to offline retail gross sales.
B2C versus B2B
The sector then skilled a decline, notably within the shopper market: B2C package deal quantity decreased by 11 p.c final yr, whereas the enterprise package deal market noticed a 4 p.c decline in quantity. Because the yr progressed, the volumes grew to become extra promising.
Regardless of the current downturn, BIEK chairman Marten Bosselmann sees a vivid future, referring to the truth that final yr’s parcel quantity was 14 p.c increased than pre-corona.
‘The long-term development development of the KEP market continues.’
“On the identical time”, Bosselmann added in a press launch, “the business is adapting to the persevering with turbulent common climate state of affairs and mastering the challenges that the economic system and society as a complete must face. Regardless of all of the imponderables, one thing stays secure along with the fixed efficiency of the KEP professionals: their significance as a job engine and employer who gives views.”
Jobs in Germany
Final yr, the sector employed 257,800 individuals instantly in Germany, 3 p.c fewer than in 2021. Nonetheless, the employment degree remained above the pre-corona degree, with a further 13,200 workers. Not directly, the KEP business is alleged to help practically 570,000 jobs in Germany.
The sector employed 257,800 individuals instantly in 2022
Renewed development
Wanting forward, the expansion of the KEP market in 2023 is unsure resulting from components corresponding to excessive inflation, the continued struggle in Ukraine, and provide chain points. Nonetheless, financial forecasts counsel a gradual restoration, particularly within the second half of the yr, which might result in renewed development. Within the medium time period, common annual cargo quantity development of three.3 p.c could be anticipated, in response to BIEK, to succeed in just below 4.9 billion shipments by 2027.