Germany is sending more parcels than ever before, and there is no end in sight to the boom. Revenues in the parcel market have more than doubled since 2017. In 2024, an estimated 3.997 billion parcels were sent, equivalent to around 48 deliveries per person.
How fast is the market really growing?
According to data from the Federal Network Agency, parcel service turnover rose from 8.039 to 17.397 billion euros between 2017 and 2025. At the same time, the volume of domestic parcels sent has risen from 2.362 billion in 2017 to 3.997 billion in 2024. This consolidates the long-term trend of a market that is setting new records year after year, driven by e-commerce, returns and international links. Even following the pandemic-driven peak year of 2021, which saw short-term declines, the trend remains clearly upward.
Who dominates the parcel market?
The German parcel market is highly concentrated. Six major providers (Amazon, DPD, Deutsche Post DHL, GLS, Hermes and UPS) together handle around 98 per cent of all domestic and cross-border parcel shipments. Deutsche Post DHL is particularly strong, accounting for over 40 per cent of the total volume of shipments and thus lying well ahead of its competitors. Amazon, which has been operating its own logistics centres since 2017, has established itself as the second major player with market shares of between 15 and 25 per cent and is showing particularly strong growth. DPD, GLS, Hermes and UPS each have market shares ranging from around five to 15 per cent.
The intensity of competition differs significantly between the two segments: business-to-consumer (B2C) on the one hand, and consumer-to-consumer (C2C) on the other. In the business-to-consumer segment, competition between providers is fiercer than for private parcel deliveries, where market concentration is much more pronounced and Deutsche Post DHL dominates the market.
What’s behind the boom and where the problems lie
The main driver of the boom is the steadily growing online retail sector. Whereas Christmas presents used to be bought in the high streets of city centres, retail is now shifting further online, with corresponding logistical demands.
However, the boom has a downside. The rapidly growing online retail sector is leaving more and more premises vacant in many town centres, whilst delivery traffic and the associated emissions are on the rise. At the same time, regulatory authorities are reporting rising numbers of complaints regarding delayed or lost parcels. For companies, the key question is therefore how to reconcile further growth with delivery quality and climate targets.
What the future might hold
In the short term, industry studies predict further growth despite economic uncertainty. The 2025 KEP Study by the German Federal Association for Parcel and Express Logistics assumes that parcel volumes will rise steadily to 5.2 billion by 2030. At the same time, political pressure towards sustainable urban and transport logistics – for example, through low-emission zones or mandatory consolidation of deliveries – could change the business model.
