Publisher and Information office Swiss Post Communication Ronny Kaufmann François Tissot-Daguette Viktoriastrasse 21 CH-3030 Berne Post and Politics Phone +41 (0)58 338 77 21 Fax +41 (0)58 667 31 73 [email protected]

Swiss Post’s service policy Quality has its price

The postal sector is undergoing convincing view of Swiss Post’s services New challenges fundamental changes. In the com- in an international comparison. Swiss Post Swiss Post is facing major challenges in munication market, the increasing is very well-positioned with its letter the medium term: With the transforma­ competition in the letter business prices. This is clearly documented by the tion of the company into a public limited from electronic communications is letter post index adjusted for purchasing company, it now has more entrepreneurial forcing postal companies worldwide power in a comparison with 15 countries. freedom on the one hand, but it also has to adapt their product ranges and Swiss Post occupies the top position in new responsibilities. For example, it will increase prices. Swiss Post provides this international comparison (cf. figure 1) be fully liable to pay tax to the Confed­ high quality services at attractive and is, therefore, the provider with the eration, the cantons and the municipali­ prices. At the same time, it takes most favourable prices. At the same time, ties in the future. account of complex political, regula- the quality of its services is extremely tory and commercial demands. It is high. In terms of the punctuality of The retention of the residual monopoly only by balancing these demands delivery, Swiss Post also takes top spot. for the time being on letters up to that Swiss Post will be able to fulfil In 2011, 97.5 per cent of letters sent by 50 grams will not protect Swiss Post from its basic service mandate in the A Mail and 99.3 per cent of letters sent the competition of sending letters using long-term without having to make by B Mail reached their recipients on digital communication options. For 80 per dramatic adjustments to its services. time. For parcels 97.4 per cent of all cent of its services Swiss Post directly PostPac Priority and 97.7 of all PostPac competes with other providers. Neverthe­ An scientifically supported study of price Economy parcels arrived on time. less, Swiss Post wants to continue to and quality benchmarking among finance the basic service from its own European postal providers provides a resources. As opposed to postal compa-

Figure 1: Swiss Letter Post Index adjusted for purchasing Figure 2: Price development of letters (non-priority indivi- power 2013 dual items weighing up to 20 grams) in Europe 2004 – 2011

Country Index Country

Norway 209 Latvia

Italy 199 Slovakia

Denmark 169 Norway

Belgium 159 Hungary

Sweden 154 Estonia

France 154 United Kingdom

Netherlands 148 Denmark

Germany 145 Lithuania

Austria 144 Belgium

Portugal 134 Poland

Finland 133 France

United Kingdom 132 Sweden

Spain 117 Finland Real Ireland 112 Portugal Nominal 100 Switzerland

0 50 100 150 200 –25% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 125% 150%

Letters up to 1 kg taken into account, excluding higher-valued items Source: Copenhagen Economics 2013, Pricing Behaviour of Postal and additional services, list prices for individual items. Operators. Prices at 1 November 2012, Purchasing Price Parities OECD 2011 (as at 14 November 2012).

Position paper – Winter 2013 Page 1/2 nies abroad, it does not claim any public up equity and the liquidity of Post CH Ltd, justified the rise in postage with the funds for doing so. It is the Confedera­ in particular, as well as in the medium reduction in the volume of letters. tion’s intention that all Swiss Post’s term, the ability to finance the basic United Kingdom: increased services should contribute to financing service from its own funds. The decisions its prices for first class letters in 2012. the basic service as far as possible. already taken by the Federal Council on These now cost 60 pence (previously That is why Swiss Post is striving to make the direction of policy for putting the 46 pence). Second class stamps now cost adequate returns to guarantee its political new postal legislation into place could 50 pence (previously 36 pence). The UK mandate to provide an attractive basic not be implemented. Sustainable business postal regulator has also given Royal Mail service for postal services and payment management would be impossible. Swiss more freedom in its pricing. transactions. Post needs well-supported results in all units of the group. Swiss Post’s position Market-driven prices According to current estimates, Swiss Post expects results for 2013 and 2014 at Swiss Post provides high quality services According to the Swiss Federal Statisti­ the high level of previous years. For the at attractive prices. At the same time, cal Office, the average household years after 2014, clear falls in profits are it takes account of complex political, spends an average of 5.55 francs a to be expected in some cases. In line with regulatory and commercial demands. month on postal items. A third of that the strategic goals of the Federal Council, It is only by balancing these demands is accounted for by letter services. Swiss Post needs adequate profits to that Swiss Post will be able to fulfil its However, the number of addressed enable it to finance its investments itself basic service mandate in the long term letters and newspapers is falling by for the continual development of its core without having to make dramatic approx. 2 per cent annually. Fewer business, contribute to financing the adjustments to its services. letters and parcels are being handed in pension fund, build up necessary equity, at post offices and fewer payments and distribute an adequate sum to the Swiss Post’s prices are often the subject are being made. Since 2000, counter Confederation as owner. of criticism. However, thanks to volumes for letters and parcels have consistent cost management, they fare dropped by around fifty per cent. European trend well in an international comparison. The trend for international letter prices is At the same time, a basic service with a The high level of quality and the low clear: The study commissioned by the high standard of quality has its price. prices at Swiss Post have become a EU Commission, which was compiled by Price reductions would not be responsi­ matter of course for many of our Copenhagen Economics, and published ble from an entrepreneurial point of customers. Many of them are not at the beginning of 2013, comes to the view for Swiss Post as they would make aware of what it means to deliver conclusion that letter prices for non-prior­ it impossible for the company to fund letters reliably throughout the whole ity mail up to 20 grams nominally rose on the basic service itself. of Switzerland overnight. Due to the average by 50.1 per cent in Europe high fixed costs in the infrastructure, between 2004 and 2011. The prices for Switzerland’s population and its the costs per item are rising for a mail up to 20 grams have, for example, politicians have high expectations of reduced volume. Declines in volume nominally risen in the UK by 71 per cent Swiss Post. In facing the challenges for could, up to now, be absorbed with and in Denmark by 41 per cent (figure 2). the future, Swiss Post must find a cost measures without affecting the In Switzerland, the prices for A and B balance between the justified concerns provision of services. The limits of such Mail have not been increased since 2004 of its stakeholders – its customers, the savings will, however, soon be reached. despite an accumulated inflation rate of regions, the owner and its staff. For individual services the yields now 5.8 per cent. In 2012, various European no longer cover the costs. Newspaper postal companies made or announced Swiss Post aims to achieve a balance transport showed a total deficit of price adjustments. between cost reduction measures, high approx. CHF 100 million for 2011. quality services and profitable growth. Germany: increased its It also needs to be able to address Although Swiss Post has extremely prices as from 1 January 2013. The Federal changes in customer behaviour and good growth opportunities in the Network Agency, which is responsible develop what it offers with the perfor­ medium to long term, these opportu­ for postal regulation, approved a price mance- and market-driven pricing of nities will merely limit the decline of increase from 0.55 euros to 0.58 euros its services. our core business without being able for the mailing of a standard domestic to compensate for it. letter of up to 20 grams. At the same time, Deutsche Post raised the price Additional links of a domestic maxi letter weighing up www.swisspost.ch/politics Unjustified criticism to 1,000 grams by 0.20 euros to Swiss Post is criticised time and again for 2.40 euros. allegedly having excessively high prices. Netherlands: Post NL raised the prices The corresponding arguments do not of its services as from 1 January 2013 stand up to critical analysis. Nevertheless, after gaining approval from the postal Swiss Post reached a mutual agreement regulatory authorities. with the pricing regulator in 2009 which Standard letters in the Netherlands now contained direct and indirect price cost 0.54 euros instead of 0.50 euros. reductions in the three-digit million range. Postage for letters within Europe has also Further price reductions would call into risen. The price is now 90 instead of question PostFinance Ltd’s ability to build 85 cents for standard letters. Post NL has

Position paper – Winter 2013 Page 2/2