Yesterday, 5:36 pm
Swiss Post is currently busy. The company is flooded with parcel shipments. This was explained by Post boss Roberto Cirillo in an interview with the “CH Media newspapers” on Friday.
“Two weeks ago, we had a 15 percent increase in parcels over normal times,” said the manager. But this has increased again strongly. “We are now transporting as many parcels as we usually do before Christmas,” he emphasized. And on Wednesday, Swiss Post even recorded a volume that was otherwise only found on the “Black Friday” online purchase day, it said.
Online orders are currently usually the only way to get certain goods. Therefore, the post is very important in the current situation with the coronavirus spread. People could stay at home and Switzerland would not stand still, Cirillo said. Swiss Post is also currently delivering about three times as much food as usual – that’s why there are long waiting times and expanding capacities within a short time is unrealistic anyway.
Special operation on Saturday
However, Swiss Post has responded to the new shopping habits. The employees in the parcel centers now also sort on Saturday what they normally only do during the Christmas season. “However, we can only plan a limited number of employees for processing. Because they should also adhere to the social distancing requirements, »wrote the post on Friday in a message.
Last week, Swiss Post asked the Federal Council for a special permit to be allowed to deliver groceries on Sunday as well. For example, people belonging to high-risk groups should be less exposed when shopping. The Federal Council has approved this for all postal service providers. Swiss Post can now also make this service available to its contractual partners on Sunday.
Size of bulky goods is limited
According to Swiss Post, the number of bulky goods such as bicycles, sofas and garden sheds has also increased disproportionately in the past few days.
These large packages can hardly be lifted by one employee alone, and the question of social distancing arises for two. The group management therefore decided to temporarily limit the permitted size for bulky goods so that they could be carried by a single employee.
Postmen only have to deliver what they can carry. (Archive picture) Image: Samuel Golay / Keystone
As of next Monday, the maximum length of the individual pages will be 150 cm / 80 cm / 60 cm. A maximum belt size (2 × height 2 × width 1 × longest side) of 350 cm applies to the combination of the sides. So far, the maximum length was 250 cm and the belt size, i.e. the circumference over the two smaller sides plus the longest side, was a maximum of 400 cm. The maximum weight remains unchanged at 30 kilograms, said the post.
Regarding the restriction of offers, the head of the Post Group said that A-Post could no longer be delivered the next day in every case. In addition, the opening hours of some branches have been reduced and some have been closed, Cirillo said in the interview
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