Postal operators worldwide experienced modest revenue growth in 2025, with average group revenue rising by 1.4%, driven mainly by parcels, according to preliminary results published by International Post Corporation (IPC).
The 1.4% figure is an unweighted mean based on results from 33 postal operators, including An Post, Canada Post, China Post, Correos, DHL Group, Japan Post, La Poste Groupe, PostNL, Royal Mail, Swiss Post and the United States Postal Service. Comparative figures for 2023 and 2024 are drawn from the IPC Global Postal Industry Report 2025, based on a sample of 48 posts.
Holger Winklbauer, IPC CEO, said, “E-commerce continues to drive demand, but volume growth no longer guarantees profit, given the high competition and low margins. Posts are pursuing their transformation to increase competitiveness in delivery markets. Furthermore, global cooperation is more essential than ever for posts to respond to increasing regulatory pressure.”
Lettermail continued to decline across all markets worldwide, with revenue growth over the past three years coming almost entirely from parcels rather than mail. Profitability remained under pressure as fuel and labor costs squeezed margins, with sector margins remaining narrow or negative despite higher parcel traffic.
E-commerce remains the sector’s main growth driver, with online retail and cross-border shopping increasing parcel volumes. In Asia-Pacific, parcel growth is supported by urbanization and a growing middle class. However, IPC noted that additional regulatory and customs obligations could slow cross-border e-commerce and reduce overall volumes, making it essential for posts to have straightforward pathways to implement new rules.
Digitalization continues to reduce mail demand, pushing postal operators to diversify into government, financial and logistics services to offset lost mail revenue. Rising labor and energy costs are accelerating investment in automation and network optimization, while regulatory changes around emissions and electric vehicles are requiring operators to modernize fleets and infrastructure.
Regulators are also easing long-standing mail-delivery requirements, adjusting service standards to help operators sustain profitable universal service – for example, by reducing the number of delivery days or converting door-to-door addresses to community mailboxes.
Complete 2025 results, along with first-half 2026 results, will be published in the IPC Global Postal Industry Report in November 2026, covering more than 50 postal operators worldwide. A public summary, the IPC GPIR Key Findings, will also be released at that time.
In related news, PostNL moves to two-day letterbox mail delivery