Logistics

Post Office and other carriers in the United Kingdom are warning  that any parcel containing gifts or goods that are being sent to an EU country must have a customs declaration form attached to it. This is the result of the Brexit, which became fully operational on the first of January.

Omnipack, a Polish fulfilment provider, has raised another 2.5 million euros in funding, which brings its total to 5 million euros. The startup, which manages logistics operations for ecommerce companies, wants to use the money to further expand in Europe.

Posti predicts a record peak season in ecommerce. That's why the Finnish postal and logistics service provider will deliver parcels to the most popular pickup points seven days a week. It has also opened a temporary network of 200 pickup points.

Starting today, couriers from Estonian post and logistics company Omniva will hand over parcels using a simplified procedure. When the addressee isn't home, couriers may now leave the parcel in a safe location or hand it over to a neighbor.

Logistics startup Saloodo has announced it's now ready to be used globally. The road freight platform was launched by DHL Group in 2017 and was already available in some markets in Europe.

Bigblue, a logistics provider from France, has raised 3.6 million dollars (3 million euros) in a seed round. The startup wants to build an end-to-end fulfilment solution in Europe. Bigblue isn't a fulfilment company itself, but it works with several ones to handle post-order processes for online stores.

Spain-based parcel platform Paack has raised 44 million euros. Practically all of it has been invested by British private equity fund Bregal Milestone, who led the Series C investment round. With the millions of euros, Paack wants to turbocharge its growth and expand its coverage across Europe.

Carrefour has launched a new initiative in France that is aimed at supporting small and local producers. At the same time, it's answering to a growing demand among shoppers for goods produced nearby.

Amazon has opened its very first air freight center in Europe. The 20,000 square meter cargo facility is located at the Leipzig-Halle Airport in Germany. It will be used to sort parcels, and to load and unload trucks and aircraft.

El Corte Inglés has redesigned its distribution network in Spain. The department store chain turned 90 of its stores across Spain into online logistics centers. El Corte Inglés wants to accelerate its online sales and further compete with Amazon.

Smartmile is expanding its network of open and shared parcel automates. The company will install a total of 40 new lockers in Finland and the Netherlands.

Royal Mail has launched a new service, called Parcel Collect, across the United Kingdom. Its postmen and postwomen will now not only deliver parcels on their daily round, but also collect them as well.

About four in ten Brits (39 percent) have signed up for a paid subscription scheme or delivery pass, which means they pay a monthly fee to get free delivery and other extras. And among these schemes, Amazon Prime is the most popular paid subscription service.

DPD UK has revealed that over 3,000 parcel shops from Collect+ will be added to its network of pick-up points. The deal will expand the network to over 6,000 stores nationwide.

54 percent of European brands think their ecommerce potential is crippled by their logistical capabilities. And that's why many retailers and brands turn to online marketplaces. But they also think that relying on marketplaces isn't sustainable and want to shift the balance more to their own ecommerce channels.