The CoviD-19 pandemic led to changes in postal service consumptions patterns. It accelerated the decline of postal traffic, which recorded a year-on-year reduction of 12.5% in the 3rd quarter of 2020 (3Q2020). However, parcel traffic increased by almost 26%, the highest figure ever. Parcels represented 10.8% of total traffic at the end of September, 3.3 percentage points more than in the same quarter of the previous year.
The data by type of content enable concluding that letters, editorial mail and direct mail declined by 15.1%, 17.9% and 19.0%, respectively, while parcel traffic increased by 25.9%, although less significantly than in the previous quarter (29.6%). Editorial mail (-17.9%) showed the strongest reduction since this indicator started to be collected (in 2012).
It is estimated that, on the one hand, the pandemic had a negative effect of 14.6% on letter traffic between the 1Q2020 and 3Q2020, while, on the other hand, it contributed to a 23% increase of parcel traffic (well above its historical trend during the 2Q2020 and 3Q2020).
At the end of the 3Q2020, letters accounted for 75.6% of postal traffic, while editorial mail and direct mail accounted for 7.2% and 6.4%, respectively. The weight of parcels in total traffic stood at 10.8% (the highest figure recorded up to date).
The revenues generated amounted to 155.4 million euros, 0.3% more than in the 3Q2019. This growth was the result of the price increase applied by CTT – Correios de Portugal (CTT) on 1 June 2020, as well as the change in traffic structure, particularly of the aforesaid increased weight of parcels. It is thus concluded that the average revenue per item increased by 14.7% in relation to the same quarter of the previous year.
The postal services included in the universal service represented around 76.7% of the traffic and 53.3% of revenues. The weight of this service in total traffic fell by 3.8 percentage points in comparison to the 3Q2020.
In terms of the share of the providers, the CTT Group had a share of around 86.0% of total postal traffic, 2.1 percentage points less than in the 3Q2020.
During the period under review, the number of employees in the postal service decreased by 1.5% in relation to the same quarter of the previous year.
Consult the statistical report:
- Postal services - 3rd quarter of 2020 https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1600614
