Royal Mail parcel deliveries surge 38 per cent in lockdown
Royal Mail parcel deliveries surged 38 per cent during the coronavirus lockdown as more consumers shopped online.
The postal service said that between 30 March and 28 June, it shipped 117m more parcels than this time last year as Brits shopped online after being told to stay at home.
Royal Mail said today that customer behaviour had not changed despite the easing of lockdown measures.
Despite the soaring parcel deliveries, the number of letters it posted slipped 33 per cent, amounting to 788m fewer letters. The firm has previously said it has pivoted its business too slowly to prioritise parcels over letters.
Last month Royal Mail announced it will cut 2,000 jobs in a bid to save £130m after profit before tax plunged to £180m in the financial year to the end of March.
It also outlined plans to slash £300m in spending over the next two years due to the impact of coronavirus.
In an update today the company said that talks with the Communication Workers Union were ongoing.
Former chief executive Rico Back left the firm in May after its UK parcels, international and letters business (UKPIL), which is expected to make a loss this year, suffered a £22m revenue hit in April.
“As the UK starts to come out of lockdown we are not seeing any change as yet in customer behaviour,” Royal Mail said in a statement this morning.
“Our customers are wanting more parcels delivered to their homes and are sending fewer letters.
“We are working as quickly as we can to adapt our business to meet our customer needs.”