June 03, 2022
Bpostgroup has acquired a majority of the shares in Paris-based international delivery provider IMX and is due to acquire 100% by 2024. The deal was signed on May 31, 2022, in Paris, France.
IMX offers a wide
range of cross-border delivery and
returns solutions for e-tailers via
a direct
sales approach and for small
and medium-size enterprises (SME) and individuals
through its proprietary digital solutions
‘Happy-Post’, ‘ColisExpat’ and
‘Shopiles’. This
acquisition is expected to enable Bpostgroup to scale its existing presence in France, generate operational synergies and further expand its product offering that covers a broad range of services: untracked, tracked, express and return services but also ship-from-store solutions. IMX’s management team and all the employees will remain on board, in line with the terms of their contracts.
Dirk Tirez, CEO of Bpostgroup, said, “Bpost continues to invest in its future and this acquisition fits perfectly with our strategy to become a leading e-commerce logistics player in Belgium, Europe and North America. This is an exciting next step in our trajectory. We said we needed to scale up our activities in Europe and that is exactly what we are doing. By
adding IMX, we are also expanding into digital solutions that is poised for continued rapid growth and on-trend with broader e-commerce activities in Europe.”
Laurent Cayet, CEO of IMX, added, “We all fully support this next step in our history. Both companies have been long-term business partners. We already know and trust each other. I’m deeply convinced that for IMX staff and management, this merger is a promising route for the future. Together with bpostgroup, we can further improve and expand the cross-border delivery services we provide to our customers. We are all full of enthusiasm and energy and are eager to share with our clients the new opportunities this strategic move brings.”
Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news/delivery/bpostgroup- acquires-imx.html
2. Australia Post welcomes release of inaugural Indigenous Employment Index
June 02, 2022
Australia Post, a participant in the inaugural ‘Indigenous Employment Index 2022’, has welcomed the report released by the Minderoo Foundation. The index highlights the employment parity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, comparing data from Australia’s leading employers and seeks to accelerate action to further achieve equity in Australia.
Parity is understanding the proportioned difference between Indigenous employees within a workforce, at all levels, in comparison to a national population of 3.3 per cent.
Some of the issues raised in this report include the need for organisations to provide career development opportunities to retain Indigenous employees; increase Indigenous employees at senior and executive levels and participate in educational partnerships and pathways.
Australia Post National Indigenous Manager Barbara Sheehy said as we take time during National Reconciliation Week to reflect and understand the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the team at Australia Post should be proud of the efforts being undertaken to keep driving change for our employees.
“Australia Post has made great progress in the focus areas set out in our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and while we have achieved much, we know there is more we can and must do, to Be Brave and Make Change”, she said.
Australia Post has a proud history with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Australia Post commenced its reconciliation journey in 2011. Today, Australia Post continues its momentum in demonstrating leadership by learning, listening and allyship, supporting communities and working towards a reconciled Australia. Some key areas of progress in this space include:
§ 3 per cent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander team members are represented across the Australia Post workforce
§ Australia Post supports the professional development of our people through the Indigenous Emerging Leaders Program, which has led to promotional opportunities for team members across the business
§ In July 2021 Australia Post launched new packaging that includes a dedicated space for the inclusion of Traditional Place names for customers who wish to recognise traditional Country on their mail
§ Through its partnership with the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, Australia Post has ensured the safe delivery of over 280,000 books to 325 remote Communities, giving children and their families access to new and culturally appropriate books
§ In June 2022, Australia Post announced a new partnership with Indigenous not-for-profit organisation, DeadlyScience, to deliver science books and education materials to remote First Nations Communities across Australia.
Source : https://newsroom.auspost.com.au/article/australia-post-welcomes-release-of- inaugural-indigenous-employment-index
3. USPS Delivery Network Improvement Plan offers potential to expand number of electric vehicles in postal fleet
June 02, 2022
· Delivery network and related route refinements may alter the appropriate mix of vehicles to be procured under the NGDV contract
· USPS will soon publish a Notice of Intent to supplement the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDV) to determine if changes to the delivery fleet mix are warranted based upon the implementation of our delivery strategy
· Postal Service reiterates commitment to the fiscally responsible roll-out of electric- powered vehicles for America’s largest and oldest federal fleet
WASHINGTON — The United States Postal Service today announced it
will soon publish a Notice of Intent to supplement its environmental impact
statement (EIS) related to its Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDV) plan.
The decision comes as the Postal Service accounts for expected changes following a recently announced plan to improve the Postal Service’s delivery network.
The plan to modernize and aggregate delivery operations will make delivery routes more efficient, which may affect the appropriate mix of vehicles to be procured for the Postal Service’s delivery fleet, including NGDV.
Postmaster General and CEO Louis DeJoy laid out the framework of the USPS delivery network modernization plan at the 2022 National Postal Forum on May 18. As part of the initiative, the Postal Service will aggregate much of its delivery operations into Sort and Delivery Centers, with modern building systems and adequate space, docks, conveyors, and
mail, and material handling equipment to operate more efficiently while modernizing and leveraging currently underutilized plants around the nation.
“As I noted when we placed our initial NGDV delivery order, the Postal Service would continue to look for opportunities to further increase the electrification of our fleet in a responsible manner, as we continue to refine our operating strategy and implement the Delivering for America plan,” said DeJoy. “A modernized network of delivery facilities provides us with such an opportunity. This is the right approach —operationally, financially, and environmentally.”
Delivery Network and Route Refinements Will Improve Operations and Potentially Change Considerations for the Delivery Fleet Vehicle Mix
Postal delivery vehicles currently operate from almost 19,000 facility locations around the country. As part of the current network, the Postal Service can have as many as 40 delivery facility locations concentrated within a ten-mile radius. Many of these buildings are in disrepair, have outdated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and poor employee amenities, and they cannot accommodate our current mix of mail and packages. The number of locations also requires significant sorting operations at our plants, underutilizes numerous truckloads from plants, and diminishes the efficiency and commercial utility of our mail carrier route structure.
“We will place large carrier operations inside our unused mail processing plants, dramatically improving transportation efficiency by eliminating unnecessary trips, reducing mail handlings, increasing reliability, and decreasing time to delivery,” said DeJoy. “These changes will take years to accomplish, but each plant or delivery unit tackled will provide immediate systemwide financial and service benefits. We will have the greatest reach and be the most reliable and affordable delivery provider.”
These proposed improvements to the Postal Service’s delivery network may alter the appropriate mix of vehicles to be procured under our NGDV contract. Aggregating carrier operations will change our delivery route structure, including adding miles to most delivery routes at both the front and back end—more miles out to the delivery stops and more miles to return from the route to the Sort and Delivery Centers. It may also streamline the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, as it would reduce the number of facilities where charging installations are needed and it would permit the upgraded electrical systems and infrastructure that are needed for the task. This available industrial infrastructure significantly reduces the risks associated with deployment of new electric vehicles to facilities with less robust infrastructure.
As part of the plan to significantly improve the delivery network, carrier operations (often co- located with Post Offices) will shift to larger, modernized facilities. This move will result in improved conditions for our carriers and fewer underutilized truck trips and will allow postal delivery routes to be revamped to make them more efficient and cost-effective.
The plan will not change the Postal Service’s retail presence and will improve the Postal Service’s appeal to both small and large shippers because it will enhance our ability to reach a much broader range of businesses and consumers under our new USPS Connect suite of products.
Postal Service Will Supplement Environmental Impact Statement
The Postal Service’s NGDV plan currently calls for the procurement of at least 10 percent battery electric vehicles (BEVs), but it is designed to increase the number of BEVs in the mix as financial resources become available and as the Postal Service refines our network and vehicle operating strategy. In the initial NGDV delivery order of 50,000 NGDVs, the Postal
Service announced that a minimum of 10,019 vehicles (or more than 20 percent of the order) would be BEVs, based on a determination that increasing the level of BEVs made sense from an operational and financial perspective.
To examine the environmental impacts of the potential delivery network changes to our delivery fleet mix, we will soon publish a Notice of Intent to supplement the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the NGDV, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. The Postal Service also intends to explore options for accelerating the production of the initial 10,019 BEVs towards the front of the production line and anticipates taking advantage of the flexibility built into the contract with Oshkosh Defense to increase the number of BEVs purchased in the initial delivery order.
USPS Committed To Cleaner, Safer Fleet
As the operator of America’s largest and oldest federal fleet, the Postal Service is committed to cleaner, safer vehicles for its employees. The NGDV program provides for the introduction of internal-combustion and electric-powered, purpose-built vehicles that deliver significant reductions in vehicle emissions and improvements in fuel economy versus the existing delivery vehicle fleet. The search for replacement vehicles for the Postal Service’s delivery fleet, which started in 2015, resulted in the purpose-built NGDVs that will deliver air conditioning and heating, improved ergonomics, and some of the most advanced vehicle and safety technology — including 360-degree cameras, advanced braking and traction control, air bags, a front-and rear-collision avoidance system that includes visual, audio warning, and automatic braking. The vehicles will also have increased cargo capacity to maximize efficiency and better accommodate higher mail and package volumes.
NGDVs, including electric vehicles, are expected to be on Postal Service routes in late 2023. The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
Source : https://postaltimes.com/postalnews/usps-delivery-network-improvement-plan-offers- potential-to-expand-number-of-electric-vehicles-in-postal-fleet/
4. UK’s first ‘carbon neutral’ fulfilment centre secures £3 million in funding
May 31, 2022
‘Carbon neutral’ fulfilment and warehouse provider Airbox has secured a £3m investment from independent asset manager BOOST&Co to expand operations and grow its customer base.
The funding will be used to purchase a new 87,000ft2 warehouse in Leighton Buzzard,
which will significantly increase Airbox’s overall storage capacity from 45,000ft2 to 222,000ft2, enabling the firm to support many more customers and brand owners with their fulfilment needs.
Airbox specialises in warehouse space for e-commerce businesses.
The company also offers a carbon-neutral warehousing solution in the form of its flagship fulfilment centre. Its ‘carbon neutral’ status is achieved by 200 rooftop solar panels, which enable the site to produce 212.10 kWp of energy, saving 67,000kw and 93.37 tonnes of Co2 a year.
“We believe that our unique approach to fulfilment services targets a particular gap in the market, so expanding and evolving the Airbox business with this funding will be an important part of our growth journey”, said Jeremy Tan, Co-Founder and CEO at Airbox
Source : https://www.logisticsmanager.com/uks-first-carbon-neutral-fulfilment-centre- secures-3-million-in-funding/
5. New CLA for PostNL mail deliverers
May 30, 2022
Members of the Dutch trade unions Bond van Post Personeel (BVPP), CNV and FNV have approved the provisions of the agreement in principle on a new collective labour agreement (CLA) for nearly 16,500 mail deliverers. The trade unions and PostNL today signed off on the outcome and a new final CLA is now in place that provides a total pay rise of over 8% among other elements.
Pay rise and allowances
The agreement includes a structural pay rise of 4% effective 1 January 2022 and another 4% effective 1 January 2023, taking compensation for beginning postal workers above the legal minimum wage.
Other agreements concern allowances for bicycles, charging allowances for electric vehicles and travel expenses for commutes. In view of energy price trends, the charging allowance will be reviewed twice a year and adjusted where necessary.
Bob van Ierland, Director of Mail in the Netherlands, said: “We’re really happy to have reached this agreement with all of the trade unions involved in the negotiations. It’s a CLA that embodies appreciation for the important job our mail deliverers do, reflected in the pay rise and allowances. We’ve arrived at a CLA that is tailored to the postal market of the future but also matches the situation in a world of rising prices and tight labour markets – the effects of which we also feel keenly.”
Term of the new CLA
The collective labour agreement for PostNL’s mail deliverers runs from 1 October 2021 through to 31 December 2023 and applies to nearly 16,500 people.
Source : https://www.ipc.be/news-portal/general-news/2022/05/31/08/17/new-cla-for-postnl- mail-deliverers
POSTAL NEWS No 44- 2022
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
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1. Posten Norge opens new logistics centre
June 03, 2022
Posten Norge and its subsidiary Bring have opened a new logistics centre in Tromsø. It will be Posten's largest facility in northern Norway and the hub for distributing letters, parcels and goods to Troms, Finnmark and Svalbard.
The Tromsø logistics
centre is one of Posten’s 18
logistics terminals. It can process
over 2000 parcels
per hour.
The terminal handles mail that is to be flown to Longyearbyen. In addition, Posten has its own boat that runs from Tromsø to Svalbard.
The new logistics center is BREEAM-certified and the entire building has energy class A.
During the summer, Posten will test a new form of solar cells on the roof, where the goal is to make solar cells work under strong winds and large amounts of snow.
Source : http://www.thepostalhub.com/blog/posten-norge-new-logistics-centre
2. Swiss Post opens US$11.4m parcel center
June 02, 2022
Postal operator Swiss Post has invested CHF11m (US$11.4m) to convert a former industrial warehouse into a regional parcel center in Rümlang in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland.
Now in operation, the
center has created approximately 60 new jobs in Rümlang. With the belt conveyors running at full speed, Swiss Post expects
to sort around 5,000 parcels
an hour. The regional parcel center is intended
to enable Swiss Post to get closer to its customers, ensure shorter transport
routes and process parcels in
a faster, more eco-friendly manner.
According to the company, the location near the motorway is ideal in terms of transport connections. Furthermore, the access roads are far from residential areas so the local population is not affected.
Previously, Swiss Post processed parcels from and for the Zurich Unterland region in Frauenfeld and Urdorf, but this will no longer be necessary. With the new center, the mailed parcels from and for the region will be sorted in the region itself. The new center means the company can reduce parcel processing times, avoid long transport distances and, in turn, protect the environment.
To continue to handle the increasing parcel volumes and the expansion of online retail, Swiss Post’s goal is to grow its sorting and delivery infrastructure and enlarge its logistics network by modernizing existing facilities and opening new regional parcel centers, including in Buchs and Pratteln by the beginning of 2023. Plans are underway to open more centers near the conurbations of Basel, Bern and Zurich over the next few years.
Swiss Post will also invest around CHF1.5bn (US$1.559bn) in parcel processing by 2030 to double its parcel processing capacity, enabling the operation of at least 15 parcel sorting sites. This investment will create 1,500 full-time jobs.
Carmen Walker Späh, head of the department for economic affairs of the canton of Zurich, said, “The canton of Zurich welcomes this step and sees the investment as a commitment by Swiss Post to the Zurich Unterland area. We’re pleased that Swiss Post is creating new jobs in the region.”
Stefan Nolte, head of logistics services operations at Swiss Post, explained, “Swiss Post is focusing on proximity to its customers and short distances. The parcel center in the Riedmatt industrial district is a stroke of luck for us. The new centers will help us secure Swiss Post’s core business, our position as Switzerland’s leading logistics provider and create new jobs.”
Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news/parcels/swiss-post- opens-us11-4m-parcel-center.html
3. DHL begins work on Brisbane Airport cargo facility
June 02, 2022
DHL Global Forwarding has broken ground on a new 4,880 sq m facility at Brisbane Airport that is due to open in early 2023.
A$17m is being
invested over ten years for the Australian facility, which according to DHL, will house the largest international cold chain services
in Brisbane to meet the fast-growing demand
for perishables.
The new facility will also support the growth of general cargo in Queensland.
George Lawson, managing director, DHL Global Forwarding Australia, said: “The expansion of our facilities at Brisbane airport reflects the tremendous growth in exports, especially perishable food. Brisbane’s economy is predicted to surge by 2031 and with this new facility, we are ready to support our customer’s growth.”
Strategically located at Brisbane airport, the facility offers airside access, the first and only freight forwarder to have such access, and is close to the Port of Brisbane.
The new facility is a five green star rating according to the Green Building Council of Australia, featuring solar panels, reusable batteries to power most of the warehouse operations, rainwater harvesting and EV charging stations. Plans are also in the works to introduce carbon offsetting and insetting for a carbon neutral supply chain for customers.
“A lot of thought went into the design of the new operation. It will assist our customer’s trade efficiently. It is also a sustainable facility to help our customers achieve a greener supply chain,” Lawson added.
The forwarder’s airfreight business saw revenues increase by 55.% year on year to €2.9bn.
Source : https://www.aircargonews.net/freight-forwarder/dhl-begins-work-on-brisbane- airport-cargo-facility/
4. Is the Government pressuring employers to keep pay low?
June 01, 2022
As members’ anger over pay mounts, our deputy general secretary Terry Pullinger asks if Royal Mail’s irrational wages policy and provocative industrial relations attitude may be rooted in external political pressures.
“Do you honestly believe that it’s a massive leap in conspiracy to ask if the Government has called in these big companies – especially where we’re unionised – and said to them:’ Don’t
you go dishing out great big pay rises to these people. Don’t you start doing that’,” suggested our DGSP to a packed meeting of frontline CWU representatives in central London yesterday.
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With this year’s pay dispute rapidly escalating towards a nationwide strike ballot, the CWU’s Postal leadership held the first two of three mass briefings this week to update our activists as to the latest state of play and to hear their collective feedback. Yesterday’s gathering in the capital saw hundreds of activists from our London, South East, Central and Anglia divisions pack into Conway Hall, following on from Monday’s upbeat Birmingham meeting of Midlands, South Wales and South West reps.
Next Monday, CWU reps from Scotland, Northern Ireland, the North East and the North West will head to Liverpool for the third part of the UK tour and, if the first two events are anything to go by, it will be a lively day on Merseyside.
There is no doubting the anger of CWU Royal Mail members at the company’s attitude and behaviour towards them and judging by the feelings expressed in London and Birmingham and also from the hundreds of workplace ‘gate’ meetings around the country over the past couple of weeks, if a pay strike ballot is called, a big YES vote is looking increasingly likely.
RPI inflation 11% – CPI inflation 9% – Royal Mail offer 2% ‘with strings’
Opening proceedings, Terry clarified where we currently are with Royal Mail, confirming that the company has offered a derisory pay increase of 2 per cent, linked to the union’s agreement to reduced sick pay, flat-rate Sunday working, increased productivity and lower pay grades for new starters – a position that, our DGSP confirmed again, had been “rejected immediately” by the CWU.
An agenda such as this contrasts sharply with the rising levels of inflation and fails to recognise the exceptional contribution our members – along with other key workers – made to the nation’s wellbeing during the pandemic. A “double insult” to the many tens of thousands of employees up and down the country.
“They’ve offered you absolutely nothing – and you can see how disgraceful it is,” he said.
Royal Mail Group profits £758m
And this double insult is further compounded by the extraordinary amounts of money being made by the company, which recently reported Group-wide profits of £758 million, a figure which Terry described as a remarkable turnaround from previous “forecasts of a £500 to £600 loss.”
In his speech and in the presentations from the panel of national Postal officers, it was made clear, repeatedly, that the reason for this upturn in the company’s fortunes was due to the efforts of frontline CWU members, who battled on against the odds throughout the most difficult and most challenging period this country has seen for many decades.
At both briefings, Terry thanked CWU members for their extraordinary dedication to the public and for their service, praising frontline workplace reps in particular, describing this
role as “the hardest job to do” and, speaking on behalf of the union’s elected leadership, he added: “As a leadership, we salute you. We respect you.”
‘£500m paid out to shareholders since July 2021’
Even more infuriating to members are reports of huge payouts to private shareholders, according to Terry, who said: “There’s been £500m paid since last July to shareholders, with potentially another £130m for them this coming August,” and added: “They just want to stuff the pockets of the shareholders. But we want our members to get their fair share of that profit
– and the shareholders and the board need to know that. Our members deserve a fair pay rise.”
The union will strictly maintain its ‘no strings’ position with regards to this pay negotiation, he insisted, explaining that there is already a fully agreed, comprehensive package of change- measures within the Pathway to Change national agreement – an agreement which was only introduced last year and on which the union has already delivered its commitments.
This was and remains the appropriate forum to discuss change issues, Terry reaffirmed, adding that the current dispute is solely about pay and the union’s position is for a “straightforward pay rise with no strings attached.”
Members across all Royal Mail functions united behind their union
Each of the other national Postal officers – Mark Baulch, Davie Robertson, Andy Furey and Carl Maden each spoke to the briefings as well – each of them outlining the situation within their specific areas of responsibility and of the importance for reps of continuing their excellent mobilising and organising work across the country, keeping members updated, informed and ready and prepared to fight for the fair pay rise that the workforce deserves.
Mark praised delivery members for going above and beyond the call of duty so often and providing a real community service to the nation, accused company bosses of “treating our members insultingly” and vowed: “Our members deserve better – we can do this and we can win this dispute.
This union is at its best when we stand together and fight,” while Davie recalled: “In the first lockdown, people were genuinely scared – but our members carried on working.” Davie sharply criticised the Royal Mail leadership for seeking “a race to the bottom” in pay, terms and conditions (which will also apply to our members in Parcelforce) as well as service standards and that the ‘strings’ attached to the current pay offer were tantamount to a “surrender” by the union.
“The only way to change their position is for us all to stand together,” he urged.
Carl Maden spoke about how members in Fleet and Engineering were equally adamant to achieve the pay rise that they deserve – while also making strong points about the company’s unfair attitudes towards members’ pay in comparison to their prioritising of shareholders’ interests, and he also updated the briefing on RMPFS negotiations, which are taking place separately to the rest of Royal Mail Group.
After stressing the importance of making sure members in Royal Mail’s Customer Experience, MDECs and other HR and Admin functions are fully engaged and involved in this dispute and encouraged to cast their votes, Andy Furey reminded the meeting that his Post Office members are set for their second bout of strike action over pay this coming weekend, with Crown offices taking action on Saturday (4th June) and their Supply Chain and Admin colleagues hitting the picket lines on Monday (6th June), sparking a lively round of applause from the audience in support and solidarity. Andy also updated the meeting on pay talks currently under way with Capita TVL under the auspices of independent arbitration service ACAS.
From the floor – determination and unity
At both venues, reps took the opportunity to put their questions, comments and points of view to Terry and the other officers, with many expressing the strong feelings from their own members back home, the hardships they are currently experiencing and the deep need for a pay rise. One rep talked of colleagues coming close to needing food banks because of the sharp rise on the cost of living, while another pointed out that, with the various ‘strings’, the current Royal Mail offer would leave most of his members financially worse off than they are now.
“Members are angry” was a common theme, while there were also several references to the company having a “debt of honour” to the workforce because of the heroic efforts of postal workers during the pandemic and other contributors highlighted the number of other disputes currently taking place over pay – within the CWU and among other trade unions as well – and suggested efforts at mutual support and solidarity.
P&O outrage ‘inspiring’ bosses’ provocative attitudes
There were several references at both briefings to the outrageous actions of the shipping company P&O back in March, when some 800 seafarers and ships officers were summarily sacked and it was suggested that leaders of other companies – including Royal Mail – had been tempted to adopt a similar attitude towards their workforce.
Terry commented: “My honest opinion is, that business leaders in boardrooms across this country were proud of P&O. I think they thought: ‘That’s the way to deal with them. That’s the way to deal with a trade union’. But they waited to see whether the Government was going to intervene – because P&O clearly broke the law – and…nothing, nothing.
“They’ve inspired businesses to bring it on on workers – and certainly unionised organisations.”
And responding to the comments on other current pay disputes taking place, Terry said that there were similarities between the Royal Mail and Post Office and BT/Openreach disputes – as well as with what is happening in the UK’s railways. In all of these instances there are recurring key issues, he commented, citing “the same language, the same narrative” and, considering whether there might be external political pressures being brought to bear on these companies, he asked: “Do you honestly believe that it’s a massive leap in conspiracy to ask if the Government has called in every one of these big companies – especially where we’re unionised – and said to them:’ Don’t you go dishing out great big pay rises to these people. Don’t you start doing that’.”
Source : https://www.cwu.org/news/is-the-government-pressuring-employers-to-keep-pay- low/
5. NZ Post: Covid-19 has changed the way New Zealanders shop, for good
May 31, 2022
Spending on online shopping for the first quarter of 2022 is up 31 % on the previous year, and a massive 86 % on the same quarter in 2020 (just before COVID-19 restrictions first came into place), according to the latest NZ Post e-commerce Spotlight report.
NZ Post General Manager of Business Marketing Chris Wong says COVID-19 has changed the way New Zealanders shop, for good.
“New Zealanders spent more than $2.2 billion online on physical goods during the first quarter of 2022, making nearly 17 million online transactions, and spending about $131 per transaction. This is the second biggest quarter for online shopping for total spend in New Zealand, second only to the busy Christmas shopping season at the end of last year,” Wong said.
“Omicron has been a big factor in consumer
shopping trends this quarter. More Kiwis have been at home, either unwell or isolating, and this is shown in the huge numbers for online shopping. It is interesting to see however, that while online shopping for the quarter
as a whole was up on the same quarter last year, we did see a
decline in shoppers throughout the quarter, as month by month fewer Kiwis shopped
online.
While in January there were nearly 2.2 million shoppers online, this dropped to 1.98 million in February and then dropped by another 200,000 in March.”
“The slight decline throughout the quarter could be due to a number of factors, including the increasing cost of living facing New Zealanders. The good news is 77 per cent of spending this quarter was with New Zealand based businesses. Ongoing disruptions to global supply chains means Kiwis are continuing to favour buying local. This is reassuring for our locally owned businesses during a time of economic uncertainty and NZ Post is here to support local businesses to succeed in the eCommerce space,” Wong said.
NZ Post is set to open two new parcel processing facilities this year, to double its parcel processing capacity. Upgrades to the Christchurch Processing Centre and the opening of the brand new Wellington Super Depot later this year mean NZ Post is primed for continued growth in online shopping. The two new facilities are just the start of a 10-year plan for investment into parcel processing infrastructure and smarter technology.
“We’re really proud of how NZ Post has continued to deliver for Kiwis during the Omicron outbreak. We prepared for this latest outbreak by increasing our capacity to deliver by bringing on 10 more people. We also put in place plans to limit the impact of people being away from work, through careful case management and contact tracing.”
“Our people have done an incredible job over the last two years of the pandemic, working hard to deliver essential items and to keep Kiwis connected during uncertain times,” Wong said.
Source : https://postandparcel.info/148531/news/e-commerce/nz-post-covid-19-has-changed- the-way-new-zealanders-shop-for-good/