BONN (dpa-AFX) - While Deutsche Post continues to face challenges in complying with statutory requirements regarding its physical branch presence, the company is making headway. According to the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur), there were 130 vacant mandatory locations across Germany as of mid-April - sites where the company is legally obligated to maintain a branch but currently has none. This figure represents a decrease from the 160 vacancies reported in September.
A company spokesperson attributed the gaps in the branch network to structural changes in the retail sector, particularly in rural areas. In some locations, the last remaining local shop closes down, leaving no alternative business to host a postal counter. She emphasized that the company is working intensively on solutions and that these gaps are merely temporary. Deutsche Post operates 12,400 branches nationwide, meaning the proportion of vacant locations remains low.
The "Yellow Giant" is required to maintain a branch in villages with more than 2,000 inhabitants. In larger municipalities and cities, branches must be located no further than two kilometers apart in contiguous residential areas. These branches are typically operated by third-party retailers, such as supermarkets or kiosks, featuring a counter for purchasing stamps or dropping off parcels. Such retailers often face economic hardship in rural or suburban areas, and many eventually cease operations, leaving Deutsche Post without a local presence.
Automated stations may qualify as branches
Legislators, cognizant of this issue, have relaxed the regulations through a recent amendment. Since last year, automated stations have been recognized as valid branches. These so-called "Poststations" offer nearly all postal services: customers can buy stamps, mail letters, pay for parcel postage, and both drop off and collect parcels. Additionally, video consultation is available via a display. "Poststations ensure postal coverage where we can no longer find retail partners - and they are meeting with broad approval from municipalities and citizens alike," the spokesperson stated.
Recognition as a branch requires approval from the Federal Network Agency, which consults with the respective municipality beforehand. The regulatory authority reports that Deutsche Post has submitted 846 applications for automated station approval to date, most of which are still being processed. As of the end of March, 137 had been approved. Nearly all of these stations were placed at mandatory locations that were previously vacant. The Federal Network Agency views the automated stations positively in principle, as they are available 24/7, thereby offering added value to consumers.
Small municipalities primarily affected
Among the locations where a branch should have been present in mid-April but was not are Struppen (Saxony), Röderland (Brandenburg), Bröckel (Lower Saxony), Balve-Garbeck (North Rhine-Westphalia), Zuzenhausen (Baden-Württemberg), and Penzing (Bavaria).
In addition to these distance-based rules, Deutsche Post must comply with the requirement to maintain at least 12,000 branches nationwide. The company comfortably clears this hurdle, reporting 12,400 staffed branches. Consequently, while it maintains a sufficient total number of branches, they are not always positioned where the regulations dictate.
It is somewhat surprising that the number of vacant locations has not decreased more significantly despite the inclusion of automated stations. In July 2024 - prior to the possibility of counting automated stations - the number stood at 141, only marginally higher than the current figure. The number of vacant mandatory locations has fluctuated for years. In January 2023, for instance, there were 174, while in October of the same year, the figure dropped to 73 - roughly half of the current level./wdw/DP/zb
