When it comes to letter delivery in Germany, the situation is sometimes chaotic. The Federal Ministry of Economics wants to eliminate them. Letters could no longer be sent directly to the recipient, but to a packing station. An important change could also be pending for packages.

German Post AG

Letter delivery to Packstations planned

Postal delivery has recently become less reliable. The Federal Ministry of Economics is now considering how to counteract the sometimes considerable delays in delivery. One of the measures should be such that letters no longer always end up in one’s own mailbox. Instead they should be picked up at a packing stationas is already the case optionally with packages.

An amendment to the postal law, for which an internal paper is already available, is expected in the coming year. The delivery to packing stations is mentioned as well as the speed of delivery. Swiss Post currently has to deliver 80 percent of all letters on the following working day a lower rate is conceivable. The system and the employees could be relieved in this way.

A relief for postmen could also come with parcels. So far, a weight limit of 31.5 kilos per package has applied. After considerations this could reduced to 25 kilos to improve occupational safety. According to the SPD postal expert Sebastian Roloff, parcel service providers should apply for a license in the future in order to stem the “proliferation of subcontractors” (source: mirror).

How do parcel services compare?

Letters and parcels: Complaints are increasing

Compared to the previous year, Germany already has more than twice as many complaints given via letter and parcel services. The Federal Network Agency received more than 37,000 complaints. According to the plans, the authority could in future serve as a “central contact” for problems with letter or parcel delivery.