BAMBERG/COLOGNE (dpa-AFX) - According to a forecast, customers in Germany will return more products ordered online this year than ever before. The number of return packages is expected to rise to 550 million, said returns researcher Bjorn Asdecker from the University of Bamberg. "That's a record." The reason for this is the resurgence of online retail, which is also leading to an increase in the number of returns, most of which are free of charge.
According to Asdecker, almost one in four online packages in Germany is returned in whole or in part. During the pandemic, people ordered more online, and the number of returns rose to around 530 million in 2021. After a decline in subsequent years, it reached this level again in 2024. According to a study by the EHI Retail Institute, the return rate remains high. Clothing is the most frequently returned item.
The German Parcel and Express Logistics Association (BPEX) expects around 4.37 billion shipments to be transported in Germany in 2025 – about two percent more than in the previous year. Traditional online retail is growing particularly strongly. The EHI expects the 1,000 largest online shops in Germany to increase their sales by more than five percent this year./cr/DP/zb
