Swiss Post working overtime to cope with online shopping boom
With all but non-essential businesses and shops in the country closed, the postal service has seen its workload increase dramatically as housebound residents order online.
Shops are closed, but parcels are still possible. Here, a delivery in Lausanne.
Keystone / Laurent Gillieron
“Two weeks ago, we noted an increase of some 15% compared with normal volumes,” Swiss Post boss Roberto Cirillo said on Friday in an interview with the CH-Media group.
Since then, he added, volumes have been comparable to the period just before Christmas, while on Wednesday this week, numbers were similar to those of “Black Friday”.
The demand comes as Covid-19 measures in Switzerland have led to the closure of all but “non-essential” shops and a recommendation that everyone “stay at home” as much as possible. Online shopping has thus become the method of choice for those in need of unavailable products, on the one hand, but also for those less keen to step outside.
For example, food deliveries have increased threefold, said Cirillo, which has put a strain on services and decreased the speed of deliveries.
External Content
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Almost finished… We need to confirm your email address. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you.
Swiss Post has begun sorting on Saturdays – something they usually only do during the Christmas period – and last week got the go-ahead from the government to also start delivering food packages on Sundays.
However, Cirillo says, the social distancing measures introduced across the country have also meant that the number of employees in the sorting centres, and the conditions under which they work, have also been limited.
Home comforts
Food and basic goods are not the only things in demand: Cirillo says oversized packages like bikes, sofas, and garden furniture have also been disproportionately in demand.
Due to the difficulties of preparing such products under current conditions, the postal services are introducing a size limit as of next Monday: maximum dimensions will be capped at 150 x 80 x 60 cm. Max weight will remain as it is, at 30 kg.
Other repercussions from the coronavirus pandemic and associated measures are an inability to guarantee next-day delivery for registered post, Cirillo said. Some post offices have also reduced opening hours, or closed completely, due to staffing or client shortages.
More
More
Coronavirus: the situation in Switzerland
This content was published on
An overview of the latest Covid-related information in the Alpine nation.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
This content was published on
The Fête de l'Epouvantail (scarecrow festival) is celebrating its 30th anniversary and returns to Denens in canton Vaud for its seventh edition from July 10-20.
This content was published on
A 35-year-old man has died in a work accident at the valley station of the Heimwehfluh toboggan run in Matten near Interlaken, canton Bern.
This content was published on
The Swiss embassy in Tehran re-opened on Sunday after being closed on June 20 owing to the unstable situation in the country.
This content was published on
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and her youngest daughter Princess Ariane attended the Netherlands' women's European Championship football match against Wales in Switzerland on Saturday.
Swiss want to better protect military airfields from spying
This content was published on
Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister says he wants to better protect Swiss military airfields against espionage activities.
Man charged with flying drone at women’s Euro 2025
This content was published on
A man flew a drone around the venue on Wednesday evening during the first match of the Women's EURO 2025 in St. Gallen. The 30-year-old violated the absolute ban on flying during match days. He was reported to the police.
More than 250 Swiss companies sign CO2 reduction initiative
This content was published on
A total of 257 companies from Switzerland have signed up to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). In doing so, they are committing to CO2 reduction targets that are compatible with the Paris Climate Agreement.
Swiss accident prevention group sees federal targets at risk
This content was published on
The Swiss government's target for accident figures is at risk, reckons Mario Cavegn, member of the executive board of the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention.
Feminicide: Swiss justice minister calls for electronic monitoring
This content was published on
Swiss Justice Minister Beat Jans has called for electronic monitoring and an ankle bracelet warning system for perpetrators of violence against women.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss Post posts parcels record
This content was published on
Swiss Post handled a record number of parcels in 2019, the company said on Friday. The number of letters sent however continues to fall.
Dirty laundry stretches Army Postal Service to the limit
This content was published on
The mobilisation of the Swiss army to cope with the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in “more work than ever” for the army’s postmen and postwomen.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.