By Business & Finance 
The Irish division of international parcel delivery service DPD has reported a significant increase in deliveries amid COVID-19 ecommerce boom
DPD Ireland averaged 730,000 parcel deliveries per week during lockdown restrictions in May and June in the south of Ireland. This is double what was delivered prior to the outbreak of the pandemic.
DPD Ireland CEO Des Travers said the move to remote working resulted in deliveries going to home addresses rather than workplaces, which may account for the increased volume in suburban areas of Dublin and adjoining counties of Kildare, Meath, and Wicklow. The first week of June saw the company make 787,151 deliveries, up from 387,017 from the previous year.
Mr. Travers said: “The Covid-19 period has seen the growth of a new kind of relationship between the recipient and the driver. The drivers are a much more regular visitor to the consumer’s home address and this is evident across our social media platforms, with mentions for our drivers on Instagram and TikTok.”
The Covid-19 period has seen the growth of a new kind of relationship between the recipient and the driver. The drivers are a much more regular visitor to the consumer’s home address
However, DPD Ireland saw strong declines of 70-80% in the delivery of electrical goods and garden accessories: “This was partly down to the store re-opening and partly seasonal. As gyms re-opened and people were allowed to practice sports in groups again, deliveries of sports equipment dropped but clothing and sports wear volumes were still significantly higher than the same period last year with an increase of 45%.”
The company is opening additional depots in Dublin to meet demand. On this, Mr. Travers said: “There will be eight depots in Dublin as opposed to six and we will be operating two locations out of Cork.”
The figures speak to the increased digitisation experienced in the country as businesses shift their focus to online.
DPD Ireland announced in 2019 that it was increasing Irish operations by growing its sorting capacity in Athlone, and boosting staff numbers in the country from 1,000 to 1,500.
