Online stores are fuel for couriers. The industry is operating at full capacity.

Despite the weaker economic situation in e-commerce, couriers are working at full capacity, according to an analysis by the business intelligence agency Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) prepared for "Rzeczpospolita" - we read in the Thursday edition of the daily.

The number of courier, express, and parcel delivery (CEP) companies in Poland has nearly quadrupled over the past 15 years. These are primarily small, often one-person businesses that are typically subcontractors for large logistics companies like DPD, InPost, and DHL. As Rzeczpospolita explains, the specific nature of this industry is that leading CEP operators do not employ their own couriers, but rather outsource their services to external partners.

An analysis by the business intelligence agency Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) prepared for "Rzeczpospolita" shows that in the first half of 2025 alone, 434 such entities entered the market.

Rzeczpospolita emphasizes that the industry's development is linked to the e-commerce sector, which has been growing for many years. Over 70,000 e-shops are already operating in Poland, requiring the handling of thousands of parcels daily, which translates into a growing demand for courier services.

Despite the growing number of shipments, many courier companies remain financially strapped. Data from the BIG Info-Monitor Debtor Register and the BIK database indicate that the courier industry's arrears are increasing year by year, now totaling over PLN 106 million.

BIG InfoMonitor Chief Analyst Dr. hab. Waldemar Rogowski tells "Rzeczpospolita" that on the one hand, companies are facing rising costs of doing business, infrastructure investments and fuel prices, while on the other hand, there is enormous price pressure.

Overall, however, the industry's forecasts are optimistic. The Office of Electronic Communications (UKE) estimates that the volume of courier shipments in Poland will exceed 1.65 billion in 2027 (up from 1.2 billion in 2024). E-commerce is expected to remain the driving force behind growth. This is despite a recent slowdown in online retail. Statistics Poland (GUS) data for June shows that online sales accounted for 8.7% of total retail sales, up from 9.5% the previous month, according to Thursday's Rzeczpospolita. (PAP)

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