PostNL targets 7,500 parcel lockers by 2031 and margin improvement from 2028
The Dutch operator plans to expand its network to approximately 7,500 parcel lockers by 2031. According to the group, increased delivery density should help sustainably reduce cost per parcel and improve margins from 2028 onwards.
Out-of-home share expected to reach 40% versus 13% today
PostNL presented on October 26, 2026 a new integrated out-of-home delivery offering, accompanied by a detailed projection for the Dutch market. According to the group, the share of parcels delivered out-of-home in the Netherlands, currently estimated at around 13%, is expected to reach approximately 40% of all parcels by 2031. The operator attributes this dynamic to changing consumer expectations, who wish to have greater choice in where and when they receive, collect or return their parcels.
To support this trend, PostNL announced approximately 50 million euros in additional investments for 2027 and 2028. This amount is in addition to investments already planned for the development of out-of-home delivery. The offering combines in a single system the choice of delivery method at checkout on merchant websites, the digital customer journey, available capacity and logistics operations.
Chief Executive Officer Pim Berendsen summarized the approach: "The future of parcel delivery no longer rests on a single option, but on the freedom of choice offered to consumers". He indicated that the group expects out-of-home delivery to become, in the coming years, a new standard alongside home delivery. According to him, the approach goes beyond simply adding lockers: it is based on the combination of home delivery, pickup points and a rapidly expanding locker network.
These announcements were published during the investor update day organized by PostNL. The group clarified that additional information on this offering would be available following this presentation.
Scalable deployment, with margin improvements expected from 2028
The network is expected to reach approximately 7,500 parcel lockers by 2031. The stated objective is for virtually the entire Dutch population to be able to reach a PostNL locker in approximately seven minutes. New locations will be selected based on data, location analysis and consumer behavior, in order to densify the network where demand is strongest.
PostNL bases its projection on two elements. According to recent research on delivery preferences cited by the group, consumer appetite for out-of-home delivery is on average nearly twice as high in Europe as in the Netherlands. At the same time, the number of lockers in the Netherlands has increased sixfold in five years.
The economic mechanism described relies on density. The group plans to stagger its investments and adjust the pace based on market evolution, volumes, utilization rate and cost per parcel. As out-of-home delivery grows, PostNL will be able to reduce capacity dedicated to home delivery and optimize its pickup point network.
In parallel, the operator is developing an additional logistics network dedicated to sorting and out-of-home delivery, expandable in stages as volumes and delivery density justify it. According to PostNL, higher density and utilization rates, combined with a more efficient overall network, should contribute to structurally lower cost per parcel and margin improvement from 2028.
Data and artificial intelligence at the heart of locker site selection
The group indicates that data and artificial intelligence will be used to better match demand to available capacity. For merchant websites, PostNL highlights predictable delivery and return options. The operator relies on its presence in payment modules of online commerce sites and on direct contact with millions of users via its application.
In early October 2026, PostNL received the PostEurop Innovation Award for its AI-based method of selecting locker locations, and had then indicated its intention to continue expanding this network. On October 20, 2026, the group also quantified the cost of its universal service obligations for 2025-2027 at more than 148 million euros and called on the Dutch Parliament to urgently examine the new postal law.
