Press releases

Swiss Post delivers millions of letters and parcels

Letters and parcels conveying Christmas greetings enjoy lasting popularity: in the period from 1 December to Christmas Day, Swiss Post processed more than 18 million parcels. This is a record for the fourth year running since 2012. On some days during this Advent, Swiss Post handled well over a million parcels. In order to ensure that all Christmas consignments were delivered on time, Swiss Post again sorted parcels on additional days this December. Swiss Post is supporting the “2 x Christmas” campaign for the nineteenth time. Donated goods parcels for the needy may be handed in at any post office until 9 January 2016 and will be forwarded to the Swiss Red Cross free of charge. And for the first time with pick@home, Swiss Post will also collect parcels for “2 x Christmas” free of charge from your home.

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Swiss Post works flat out during the Christmas period. Between 1 and 24 December, Swiss Post employees processed more than 18 million parcels. In 2013 and 2014, Swiss Post reported totals of around 17 million and almost 18 million parcels respectively. This year’s number is the fourth consecutive record since 2012. In the week leading up to Christmas this year, over a million parcels again passed through the systems at the three sorting centers in Daillens (Vaud), Frauenfeld (Thurgau) and Härkingen (Solothurn) almost every day. This is around double the volume compared to a normal working day. To meet this demand, Swiss Post sorted parcels on additional days this December. The mail carriers worked overtime on two Saturdays before Christmas in order to deliver parcels. At the Frauenfeld and Härkingen parcel centers, new sorting systems made it possible to increase the sorting capacity by 25 percent. The Daillens parcel center will also be equipped with additional systems by the end of 2016. This will ensure that, even with increasing volumes, all parcels will still be delivered punctually.

Christmas greetings sent by post remain popular

The pre-Christmas period also proved extremely busy when it came to delivering letters: On peak days, Swiss Post’s delivery staff delivered up to 20 million items. Despite the prevalence of SMS, e-mail and social networks, the physical letter remains highly popular: In 2015, Swiss Post successfully demonstrated its capabilities by processing a total of more than 2 billion addressed letters.

Christmas comes twice a year

Swiss Post is supporting the “2 x Christmas” campaign for the nineteenth time. Donated goods parcels may be handed in at any post office or agency free of charge until 9 January 2016. And for the first time with pick@home, Swiss Post will also collect parcels for “2 x Christmas” free of charge from your home. The collection service can be ordered at www.swisspost.ch/2xchristmas. Swiss Post will collect the parcels and forward them to the Swiss Red Cross, who will distribute them to the needy in Switzerland and abroad. Donations that are particularly welcome include useful items such as non-perishable foods, toiletries, new (or “as new”) shoes, school materials and items for toddlers. Until the end of January 2016, virtual parcels can also be donated via the website www.2xweihnachten.ch. The Swiss Red Cross then purchases the corresponding items and distributes them in Eastern Europe.

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