The 2009 statistical data report on postal services – published today by ANCOM – shows that this market fell by 33% as total postal traffic is concerned, mainly because of the decline by more than 40% of the domestic traffic registered by the Universal Service provider, i.e. the Romanian Post National Company (CNPR). Despite the fact that the cross-border postal traffic dwindled in the past years, in 2009 it increased by more than 60%.
The 2009 total postal traffic registered 460,602,792 items, i.e. an average of 21.46 postal items per inhabitant, which is 10 items per inhabitant less than in 2008 (at that time the average was 31.98 postal items per inhabitant).
93.77% of the 2009 total postal traffic is held by the domestic traffic, which decreased by more than 35%, up to 431,909,187 items, while the CNPR’s domestic traffic also decreased by 40.82% and that of the other providers increased by 29.67%.
The approx. 62% increase of the cross-border traffic could not influence the downfall of the postal market significantly, since its share in the postal traffic total volume is relatively low (only 6.23%). The statistical data processed by ANCOM revealed that both CNPR and the other postal providers registered decreases in this sector by almost 68%, respectively 26%.
The total postal traffic encompasses the traffic of the letter-post items (postal services consisting of items of correspondence, printed matter items, small parcels and direct mail items, weighing up to 2 kg), the traffic of parcels and the traffic of Express postal services (services that fulfil, cumulatively, the following requirements: the provider makes available to the addressee a document stating the date and hour of the delivery and, usually, the payment of the fee; the postal item is delivered to the addressee in person or to his/her authorised representative; the provider is liable for delayed delivery; fast delivery of the postal items).
All the three traffic types showed similar dynamics, having registered decreases at the domestic level and increases at cross-border level. CNPR holds the highest share in the letter-post and Express services segments, i.e. approx. 89%, and 64%, respectively, whereas more than 88% of the collection and distribution of parcels was performed by the other postal providers.
It is worth highlighting the enhancement of competition in 2009 in the segment of postal services within the scope of Universal Services, where both CNPR, in its capacity as a Universal Service provider, and other providers of postal services were active. This is the segment where the private providers of postal services registered an increase in both the domestic traffic (almost 95%) and in the cross-border traffic (more than 136%). Considering that CNPR holds more than 90% share in this segment, the decline of the domestic traffic processed by this provider had a major influence on the market of postal services within the scope of Universal Service, which fell by almost 38% in 2009.
The only segment which shows an increase (+3%) at the level of the total traffic is represented by the services outside the scope of Universal Service (services consisting of items of correspondence, printed matter items, direct mail items exceeding 2 kg, domestic parcels weighing between 10 and 50 kg, cross-border parcels weighing between 10 and 50 kg or between 20 and 50 kg distributed in Romania, as well as the Cash-on-delivery, Change of destination, Special delivery, Advice of delivery and Express services).
In 2009, the number of access/contact points also dropped – to 8,549 -, although the number of access and contact points of the Universal Service provider grew by 3.49% compared to 2008, while the number of access/contact points of the other providers fell by 35.67%. On average, a single postal unit served 2,510 inhabitants, compared to 2008 when the index was of 2,366 inhabitants/postal unit.
Out of the 38,836 complaints filed in 2009, more than 66% were complaints transmitted to the private providers; 15.36% of the total complaints proved to be grounded, and therefore the plaintiffs were paid repairs amounting to 1,001,042 lei. Out of these, 70,035 lei were repairs paid by CNPR for 5.47% of the total complaints filed against this operator.
The report on the 2009 Romanian postal services market, including the comparative analysis of the postal traffic between 2005 and 2009, is available for consultation here.