Filenews 3 June 2025
Nine out of ten citizens have used postal services in the period January/February 2025.
This is recorded, among others, by the Office of the Commissioner for the Regulation of Electronic Communications and Posts for the fourth consecutive year.
According to today's Press Release, GEREET conducted two nationwide surveys, with the aim of collecting data regarding the use of postal services by citizens and small and medium-sized enterprises. The surveys were conducted between January and February 2025 and were based on a sample of 1,009 citizens and 502 small and medium-sized enterprises in the retail sector that send parcels or letters.
The main results of the surveys are the following:
In relation to citizens, firstly, for the period January – February 2025, 9 out of 10 respondents have used some kind of postal services. Specifically, 88% of citizens used postal services in the last 12 months, recording an increase of 1% compared to December 2023 and a 7% drop compared to November 2022.
Secondly, Cyprus Post remains the main postal provider for receiving letters (95%), with the main volume of letters received by citizens relating to utility bills, bank statements and taxes.
Thirdly, the main places where parcels are received by citizens are the provider's premises or their home, with 52% and 37% respectively, while 5% of respondents state that they mainly use Parcel Lockers.
Fourth, the average frequency of receiving letters showed a gradual decline, from 40 times per year in October 2021, to 33.4 times in November 2022 and a further decline to 26.7 times in December 2023. However, in February 2025 a trend reversal was recorded, with the average increasing to 31.6 times per year. On the contrary, the frequency of parcel receipt is steadily increasing. Specifically, the average annual number of receipts rose from 14.2 times in 2021, to 14.3 in 2022, 16.8 in 2023 and 23.8 times in 2025, i.e. almost two receipts per month.
Fifth, the frequency of sending letters has been on a downward trend in recent years. The average annual number of dispatches decreased from 21.3 times in 2021, to 19 times in 2022 and further to 17.2 times in 2023. In February 2025, there was a slight recovery, with the frequency standing at 18.1 times per year. The average frequency of parcel shipping increased from 11.1 times in 2021, to 11.5 times a year in 2022, to 16.9 times a year in 2023 and to 19.9 times a year in 2025.
Sixth, respondents consider the cost of sending letters to be reasonable, but consider the cost of sending parcels to be high or too high. Despite this perception, 56% of citizens say that they do not compare prices between available postal service providers for parcel delivery.
Seventh, the average annual expenditure for sending/receiving letters for 2025 compared to 2023 has decreased from €60 to €35, while for sending/receiving parcels it has increased from €116.50 to €121.10 per year.
Eighth, the main criteria for choosing a postal provider are habit/previous cooperation (31%), good service (27%) and distance from the place of residence or work (20%).
Finally, in relation to e-commerce, in 2025 the percentage of consumers who make online purchases amounted to 76%, exceeding not only the percentages of 2023 (65%) and 2022 (64%), but also the previous high of 2021 (70%), a year in which e-commerce had skyrocketed as a result of the restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The frequency with which consumers shop online shows a similar upward trend, with the average number per month being 2.0 for 2025, 1.6 for 2023, 1.2 for 2022 and 1.7 for 2021.
As far as businesses are concerned, the survey showed that the percentage of SMEs surveyed, based on data collected between January and February 2025, using private postal providers to send parcels has increased from 53% in 2021, to 63% in 2022, to 64% in 2023 and to 73% in 2025, while the percentage of those who use Cyprus Post has decreased from 47% in 2021, to 44% in 2022, to 30% in 2023 and to 28% in 2025.
Secondly, 48% of small and medium-sized enterprises send small parcels, 46% medium-sized parcels, while only 6% send large parcels.
Third, parcel shipping dominates, with 71% of SMEs saying they send more parcels than letters, while only 14% report sending more letters.
Fourth, simple shipping is the main shipping option for small and medium-sized enterprises, with 59% using express delivery services, 13% track and trace delivery and 8% express with track and trace services.
Fifth, 49% of small and medium-sized enterprises expect an increase in parcel shipments in the next three years, compared to 34% in 2023, 28% in 2022 and 29% in 2021. On the contrary, only 3% of companies estimate an increase in letter sending in 2025, a percentage reduced compared to 5% in 2023, but also compared to 8% in 2022 and 10% in 2021.
Finally, in 2025, four characteristics stood out as the most important for small and medium-sized enterprises when choosing a postal provider. Specifically, 73% of businesses consider waiting time for in-store service very important (compared to 48% in 2023). Billing prices are rated as very important by 71% of businesses (53% for 2023). The same percentage, 71%, is attributed to the importance of the store network (41% in 2023), while the ability to track shipments (tracking) is also considered important, with 71% ranking it among the very important features.
CNA
