Delivery company PostNL is increasingly affected by inflation. The costs for fuel, among other things, are rising and fewer packages are being sent.

As a result, third-quarter results are disappointing, the company warns in an interim update.

collective bargaining

PostNL has been suffering from inflation for some time, but the situation worsened in the last quarter. This is partly due to higher fuel prices, but labor costs will also rise further than previously expected, the company said.

Collective bargaining with the unions is currently underway. PostNL has made a wage offer that union FNV says is “tragically low”. Actions are not excluded, said the union last week. Talks will continue at the end of this month, which is why PostNL expects a further increase in wage costs, among other things.

Job offers

For PostNL this means that some prices will increase. For example, the company previously raised the price of stamps to over 1 euro. The company will also invest less and PostNL will be more reluctant to fill vacancies for office workers.

This reluctance does not apply to deliverers, says PostNL. There are currently 1389 vacancies. In August, PostNL announced that it would award permanent contracts in the battle for staff.

PostNL is not the only company suffering from the economic conditions. Previously, Philips had issued a profit warning. This was due to the problems with apnea devices, but also to supply problems and the deteriorating economic conditions.