Christmas time – how busy is the busy period?

The end of the year is one of the busiest periods for the transportation and logistics sector in Europe. The number of shipments increases each year, and the domestic haulers in Sweden are working tirelessly to cope with high demands. This begs the question: just how busy is the busy period?

All over Europe, the effects of Christmas shopping push the transportation and logistics sector to be more efficient and deliver under pressure each year.

Companies that import and export goods that are not considered to be in high demand under the Christmas tree are still affected – since the whole transportation network sees a higher activity during this time of the year.

This year the Christmas celebration falls on a Tuesday and Wednesday, which affects the sector even further. With more people on holiday during weekdays, the number of shipments and transport that can be made are affected.

The busy period in numbers

The Swedish business and employers´ association Svensk Handel (Swedish Commerce) publishes an annual report at the end of each year, detailing the effects of Christmas shopping.

• In the latest report, each sub sector of the retail sector (except for hardware) reported increased sales around Christmas time in the previous year. Some as high as an increase of 14–18 percent.
• In the retail sector, at least one in five stores hires additional staff ahead of Christmas to handle the increased sales. In the UK, this number sometimes goes as high as two thirds of retailers.

In Germany, the increased workload is evident. Last year the German Parcel and Express Logistics Association (BIEK) indicated that around 15 000 more workers would work during this period, and that 10 000 additional vehicles would be used.

In Sweden, the largest domestic logistics company, Postnord, states that around 1 million parcels per day will pass through their terminals during this busy period, in 2024. They also project that the total number of parcels in Sweden will by higher than last year.

Important dates: Plan in advance

The best way to be successful during this busy period is to plan ahead. That is why we encourage our customers to stay informed about important dates and plan in advance.

Remember the date: December 13. For Begoma’s customers, this is the date to mark in the calendar and plan your shipments around. It’s the last departure date for general cargo and LTL shipments to and from Sweden for deliveries before the Christmas holidays.

Read more about important dates to adhere to during this busy period.