Buy the full study
Summary of our market study
The French courier market is valued at €4 billion
from 2020 onwards, the global courier market is expected to continue growing at a slightly slower pace, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6%, compared with the robust 7.69% observed to date. The global market was worth $330.3 billion.
The French courier market mirrors this trend, but is growing at a slower pace, with a significant boost from e-commerce activities. Despite a competitive and saturated landscape, the French market is notably dominated by La Poste in terms of sales and geographical coverage.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a notable impact on the sector, leading to operational changes and an increase in e-commerce traffic, which benefited smaller courier services.
Trends in the French courier market
In recent years, the French courier market has been characterized by robust growth, mainly fueled by the booming e-commerce sector. The market has expanded at an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 20-25%, rising from around 1 billion euros to 4 billion euros over this period.
This growth is a response to the digital purchasing habits of the French population. A study of the French courier market showed that the majority of the population - some 85-90% - prefers home delivery services when shopping online. This preference for home delivery has forced courier companies to optimize their logistics capacities.
In addition, the report indicates that the rise of e-commerce has led to a remarkable growth in the courier workforce of around 15-20%, from around 7,000 to almost 9,000 employees.
The technological advent of drones has also generated interest, with almost 45-50% of survey participants citing drones as a favorable innovation in the delivery field. This futuristic mode of transport, if harnessed effectively, could potentially revolutionize the speed and efficiency of courier services.
The courier market has not been spared the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The inflexibility of supply chains in the face of a global crisis became evident when delays in online product deliveries rose sharply, from around 10-15% at the start of the pandemic to a staggering 55-60% thereafter. The disruption caused by the pandemic also opened up opportunities for small businesses and startups in the courier sector to meet growing demand.
La Poste, with sales in excess of €25 billion , controls around 95% of the market, and has a nationwide geographical presence that is mandated by national legislation.
the French parcel delivery market is made up of players of varying sizes and specialities.
- La Poste , the national postal service, is not only the leader in traditional mail services, but also has a strong presence in parcel delivery
- Chronopost, a subsidiary of La Poste, operates as an independent brand, focusing on fast parcel services. Its membership of La Poste strengthens the company's market leadership. Chronopost's extensive network is essential for B2B and B2C distribution, particularly for fast delivery requests.
- Couriier brings a breath of fresh air to the market with scalable delivery solutions that leverage technology to optimize efficiency.
- Coursier.fr , offering courier services tailored to specific customer needs, completes the ranks of specialized players.
to understand this market
Detailed content of our market study
Inforamtion
- Number of pages : ~ 40 pages
- Format : Digital and PDF versions
- Last update :
Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Scope and definition of the market
The Syndicat National des Transports Légers (SNTL) defines the courier market as "any public road transport operation of goods for hire or reward, generally urgent, carried out with a vehicle with a GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of 2 or 4 wheels, weighing less than 3.5 tons. foodstuffs are not included in the scope of this study. A study on this market can be consulted here.
The global courier market is growing rapidly, primarily due to the increase in remote shopping. Globally, the largest courier companies include (in descending order of market capitalization) United Parcel, Deutsche Post and Fedex. [value.today]
The French market is also growing, although at a slower rate than the global market. This growth is mainly due to e-commerce. In addition, the market is very fragmented, if one considers the number of players; nevertheless, Le Poste is by far the largest if one considers the turnover.
Bicycles are increasingly used for delivery services. Features such as low cost, environmental efficiency and flexibility all contribute to this growth.
Finally, the effect of the COVID-19 crisis on the sector is examined in section 2.3.
1.2 Global market growth
Revenue from courier delivery activities - World World, ****-****, $ billion Source: Ti-insight CAGR +*.**%
In ****, the global courier market was valued at $***.* billion, up from $***.* billion in ****, which equates to a CAGR of *.**% per year over the period. This growth is driven by an increase in fast-moving consumer goods (***), primarily in emerging ...
1.3 The domestic market
Revenues from delivery and courier activities - France France, ****-****, in billion euros Source: ****
In France, the courier market is growing rapidly. In ****, this market was worth €*.** billion, and was estimated to reach €*.** billion in ****, which equates to a CAGR of **.**% over the period. Globally, France accounted for approximately *.*% of the ...
2 Analysis of the demand
2.1 Analysis of the French consumer
Preference for parcel deliveries France, ****, in percent Source: ****
In ****, French consumers were asked about their preferences for package delivery. It can be seen that **% of those surveyed said they prefer home delivery. The second most common category was pickup at a collection point (***).
This is relevant to the delivery services and ...
2.2 Demand trends
Do you think the drone is a good option in the following cases? France, ****, in % Source: ****
Drones could revolutionize the courier and delivery industry. In ****, **% of respondents said they saw potential in this sector.
Drones can perform many functions in this sector. For example, they can transport goods from ports to ...
2.3 The impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the sector
Delays in delivery of products purchased online during Covid-** containment France, ****, in % Source: ****
In general, mail and packages continue to be delivered, albeit with some delay as we can see above. The global pandemic is disrupting supply chains, and the courier and delivery market is no exception.
From the chart above, ...
3 Market structure
3.1 Market structure
In France, La Poste, a state-owned enterprise, dominates mail services, measured by sales (***), but also geographically. For example, the latest postal law specifies that at least ** percent of the national population must be within * km, or less than ** minutes by car, of a La Poste point of contact. In other words, ...
3.2 Analysis of sector revenues
The figures below are based on NAF code **.** "other postal and courier activities. Although this NAF code encompasses activities outside the scope of this study, it is still worth considering this data as it provides an overview of trends in the sector.
Revenue Index France, February **** - December ****, base *** in **** Source: ...
3.3 Distribution
Breakdown of the means of transport used by the Services-Courier-Colis branch of the French La Poste Group World, ****, number of units Source: ****
The fleet of vehicles used by La Poste in **** is shown above. While not entirely representative of the entire sector, it is a good indicator of distribution in general ...
3.4 Market share
Market share of major players in value France, ****-****, in millions of euros Source: ****
Due to differences in reporting, the revenue for some of the companies above has changed today. However, the turnover is the last reported and the ranking remains unchanged.
At the top, and by far the most dominant ...
4 Analysis of the offer
4.1 Analysis of the offer
As mentioned in point *.*, the courier and delivery market is part of a larger market, namely that of light transport, which, according to the Syndicat National des Transports Légers (***) of less than *.* tons". More precisely, light transport is structured around four segments:
Urban mail: this covers all operations from the ...
4.2 Price analysis
Source: ****
The companies are paid by commissions taken from the partners (***). On average, the commission varies between ** and **%. This percentage is variable and depends on the number of orders placed. The price often depends on the size of the items to be delivered and the distance to be covered by the ...
4.3 Cost analysis
Repair costs and expenses associated with NAF code **.* France, ****, in % Source: ****
The largest costs associated with "other postal and courier activities" are related to lease payments for real estate, which account for nearly **% of the value. Fuel purchases account for just over a third of the costs (***), and finally electricity expenses ...
5 Regulation
5.1 Regulatory framework
Reflecting the constant debate about the working conditions of couriers, French regulations are constantly evolving. [***]
According to sntl.fr transport for hire or reward is a commercial activity regulated by general or specific texts of the Civil Code, the Commercial Code and the Labor Code.
The LOTI, law of orientation of ...
6 Positioning of the actors
6.1 Segmentation
- La Poste
- Presstalis
- Couriier
- Coursier.fr
- Colisud Express
- Colisweb
- AppliColis
- Colis Privé
- Relais Colis
List of charts presented in this market study
- Revenue from courier delivery activities - World
- Repair costs and charges associated with NAF code 53.2
- Turnover index
- Cyclicity of the sector's revenues
- Breakdown of the means of transport used by the French Services-Courier-Colis branch of La Poste group
All our studies are available online in PDF format
Take a look at an example of our research on another market!
Latest news
Philippe Wahl: "La Poste, multi-functional" | Philippe Wahl: "La Poste, multi-functional" - 04/12/2023
- The number of letters sent in 2023 will be six billion, compared with 18 billion fifteen years ago.
- La Poste employs some 240,000 people, including 65,000 letter carriers.
- La Poste's plan calls for the delivery of five million meals by 2023, in over 200 towns and cities.
- la Poste, which specializes in parcels in France and abroad, accounts for 52% of La Poste group's sales
- La Poste develops a digital safe service with Docaposte.
La Poste enters the world of healthcare - 19/10/2023
- La Poste has a network of 35,600 access points in France.
- Since 2017, La Poste has begun to diversify into the healthcare sector, acquiring several healthcare companies
- Currently, La Poste accompanies 140,000 patients at home on medical prescription.
- Nearly one million meals delivered to homes in one year.
- 30 million hospital admissions are managed each year using its administrative management software (Maincare).
- More than 300,000 teleconsultations have been carried out thanks to La Poste.
- La Poste has a digital cloud solution (NumSpot) "made in France".
- La Poste forecasts healthcare sales of 500 million euros by 2030, compared with 300 million today.
- La Poste has developed an AI solution for healthcare through its NumSpot subsidiary.
La Poste, the story of a silent revolution - 15/03/2023
- - 238,952 employees in 2022
- - Sales of €35.4 billion in 2022 (52% generated by parcels, France and international), Net profit of €1.25 billion
- - Sales generated by La Banque Postale €8.3 billion
- - Mail sales €7 billion and €17.7 billion generated by parcels
- - Mail's share of La Poste's business halved in ten years
- 34% of La Poste's capital to be held by the French State by 2020 and 66% by Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations
- - 8 million customers have stored their documents in the Digiposte digital safe
- - 17,000 points of contact (7,300 "real" post offices and 6,700 community postal agencies, 3,000 retail outlets) - 60,000 letter carriers and women
- - Numspot sovereign cloud project, with Dassault Systèmes, Bouygues Telecom and Banque des Territoires
- - Docaposte subsidiary could generate sales of 1 billion euros by 2026
Coworking: La Poste steps up its ambitions - 21/07/2022
- La poste immobilier shareholder in Startway since 2016
- Startway manages 34 sites in France, including 15 in the regions
- La Poste Immobilier has just acquired Multiburo
- Multiburo 23 centers in France, 6 centers in Belgium and Switzerland cater to small businesses
- Startway's customers tend to be slightly larger companies looking for project space and overflow during construction work on their own premises.
Companies quoted in this study
This study contains a complete overview of the companies in the market, with the latest figures and news for each company. :
Choosing this study means :
Access to more than 35 hours of work
Our studies are the result of over 35 hours of research and analysis. Using our studies allows you to devote more time and added value to your projects.
Benefit from 6 years' experience and over 1,500 industry reports already produced
Our expertise enables us to produce comprehensive studies in all sectors, including niche and emerging markets.
Our know-how and methodology enable us to produce reports that offer unique value for money.
Access to several thousand articles and paid-for data
Businesscoot has access to all the paid economic press as well as exclusive databases to carry out its market research (over 30,000 articles and private sources).
To enhance our research, our analysts also use web indicators (semrush, trends, etc.) to identify market trends and company strategies. (Consult our paying sources)
Guaranteed support after your purchase
A team dedicated to after-sales service, to guarantee you a high level of satisfaction. +44 238 097 0676
A digital format designed for our users
Not only do you have access to a PDF, but also to a digital version designed for our customers. This version gives you access to sources, data in Excel format and graphics. The content of the study can therefore be easily retrieved and adapted for your specific needs.
Our offers :
the courier market | France
- What are the figures on the size and growth of the market?
- What is driving the growth of the market and its evolution?
- What is the positioning of companies in the value chain?
- Data from several dozen databases
Pack 5 études (-15%) France
- 5 études au prix de 75,6€HT par étude à choisir parmi nos 800 titres sur le catalogue France pendant 12 mois
- Conservez -15% sur les études supplémentaires achetées
- Choisissez le remboursement des crédits non consommés au terme des 12 mois (durée du pack)
Consultez les conditions du pack et de remboursement des crédits non consommés.
Our customer references
They have consulted our studies
Discover the opinions (+500)
Malcolm Vincent
Astoria Finance
Gregoire de Castelnau
Stags Participations
Timothé Huignard
PWC
Paul-Alexis Kebabtchieff
BCG
Aymeric Granet
Publicis Consultant
interviews & case studies
All interviews and case studies (45)
