Shipments within the Netherlands
Every year, carriers like PostNL, UPS, DHL, FedEx, DPD, and GLS adjust their rates based on factors like fuel and wage costs, and the need for sustainable logistics investments. These include new sorting centers, retail points, and staff expansion. Rate increases are guided by cost hikes and the NEA index, reflecting the annual rise in road transport costs. E-commerce trends and the NEA index, set at 8.7% for 2023, determine these rates. Factors influencing the NEA index include the e-commerce industry’s performance, global events like the Ukraine situation, and economic impacts like high fuel costs and inflation. Consequently, PostNL introduces a €0.12 energy surcharge per parcel from January 1, 2024, due to escalating energy and fuel prices, with its future removal uncertain amidst unpredictable market conditions.
PostNL applies an average increase as of January 1, 2024 of 5.5%.
Shipments within Europe
The weight of a shipment has a lot of influence on the processing process. Lighter packages go through the shipping process easier and faster than heavier packages. For this reason, PostNL will base the rates for sending EU shipments on weight scales from 1 January 2023. The rate of the shipment is determined by the weight of the package. A weight of 0 – 2 kg is assumed as standard.