Extensive spread of omicron affecting parcel delivery service

TALLINN - Courier and logistics company DPD Estonia said that the extensive spread of the coronavirus and the high rate of infection affect parcel delivery service in Estonia, but the company confirms that the necessary measures are being taken to prevent parcels from being delayed. 

"The current high infection rate unfortunately also affects our work -- a significant number of our close to 260 couriers are currently on leave. We're redistributing our resources to service all regions in a timely manner and recruiting new couriers where necessary," DPD Estonia CEO Remo Kirss said in a press release.

"However, the delivery of parcels will not stop and the courier service will not be disrupted, but the situation is very challenging and some parcels may arrive a little later than usual," Kirss said. 

The parcel machine service is available as an alternative to courier service.

"Above all, it enables to reduce contacts but it also alleviates the temporary issue of labor shortage," Kirss noted.

DPD said that the company constantly provides its employees with instructions on hand hygiene, mandatory use of face masks and importance of keeping a distance. All couriers have been equipped with masks and disinfectants, and the screens of parcel machines are constantly disinfected when the machines are filled and emptied.

"Compared to the pre-pandemic period, e-commerce has seen a big growth spurt and last year the volume of goods ordered to be delivered to parcel machines increased by more than 30 percent," Kirss pointed out, adding that the volume of parcel shipments at DPD increased by almost one million last year and the number of courier home orders grew by more than a half. 

In order to meet the growing demand, DPD installed 72 new parcel machines all over Estonia last year and also expanded 40 existing parcel machines. DPD Estonia employs almost 260 couriers who serve customers with 250 vehicles. DPD has 249 parcel machines in Estonia.