The express transport market - France (2025)

1.2. The global express freight market benefits from a stimulating economic environment

The size of the global express delivery market was estimated at $***.** billion in ****, and is expected to reach $***.** billion by ****. The market is then expected to grow at a CAGR of *.*% until ****.

Estimated evolution of the global express delivery market size World, **** - ****, in $ billions Source: ****

The global express market benefits from an economic environment consisting of dynamic B*B flowsflows, but also theexpansion of e-commerce, resulting in a boom in B*C flows.The importance ofcross-border e-commerce is a growth factor for the sector worldwide, although the vast majority of express parcel shipments remain domestic today: cross-border express freight trade is benefiting from the increase in volumes of goods traded to and from France, particularly between European countries.

Growth in the express delivery market is currently hampered by a lack of infrastructure and high operating costs. However, factors such as technological advances in delivery services and the emergence of last-mile delivery solutions, combined with innovations in delivery vehicles, are likely to stimulate further expansion of this market.

Asia-Pacific dominates retail and e-commerce sales, accounting for **.*% of retail sales and **.*% of digital sales, largely thanks to China.North America andWestern Europe follow with **.*% and **.*% of retail sales respectively. E-commerce, which is ...

1. 3. express freight: a thriving market in France

The French express freight market is registered under NAF code **.**A, which groups together the courier and express freight markets. Thus, the size of the express freight market can be obtained by studying this broader sector.

courier and express freight market sales trend France, **** - ****, in € billions Source: ****

In ****, sales amounted to €*.*** billion, while in **** they reached €*.*** billion. This represents an increase of **.**% over this period. Sales trends have shown fluctuations over the years. After a steady increase between **** and ****, there is a slight decline from **** onwards.

In ****, express freight will account for **.*% of the branch's total sales, down *.* points on the previous year[***]. As a result, the French express freight market will be worth *.*** billion euros in ****.

E-commerce is growing exponentially in France and around the world, boosting the express freight market as more goods are sent to consumers online. The delivery stakes are high for e-tailers, as their image depends on the reliability and professionalism of express transport companies. What's more, the delivery options offered by a merchant site play a crucial role in its reputation[***].

The domestic transport of goods relies mainly on trucks, whether registered in France or abroad, which account for **% of the transport used.

Market ...

1.4. A special feature of the market: e-commerce, a growth driver for the sector

E-commerce refers to all commercial transactions that take place via digital interfaces, mainly on the Internet from computers, tablets, smartphones and other devices.

In ****, e-commerce sales, including products and services, will amount to***.* billion eurosmarkingan increase of **.*% over the previous year.

Total e-commerce sales, by type of purchasing device France, ****-****, € billion Source: ****

a total of ***,***

more than **,*** new sites

a growing preference for online shopping

Number of active e-commerce sites France, ****-****, thousands Source: ****

E-commerce and B*C flows are growth drivers for express freight : they multiply the number of parcels to be delivered to individuals. They are also making parcel delivery more complex, as more and more parcels ordered by individuals on the Internet originate from abroad.

As a result, carriers are investing in new sorting and delivery capacities, in order to expand their production capacity to absorb the new flows. As these flows are tending more towards light parcels and international shipments, investments are being made mainly on two levels: automating operations and extending sites.

There is strong competition between the various e-commerce sites in France. According to the Kantar institute, the giant Amazon dominates the e-commerce market in France, with **% market share[***]. Because of its size, Amazon ...

2.1 The French relationship with delivery

Most French people use delivery services, but with varying frequency. Indeed, **% use it often, while **% use it less frequently.

Frequency of delivery for the French France, ****, in Source: ****

Among the French, **% say they would consider doing without delivery for good, while **% feel dependent on this service in their daily lives. However,**% of users of these services would like delivery charges to be lower, and **% would like packaging to be more environmentally friendly.

The importance of delivery France, ****, in Source: ****

Ideas for improving current delivery services France, ****, in Source: ****

2.2 The French and express delivery

When it comes to selecting a delivery company, the majority of French consumers prefer to compare prices. However, speed of delivery is also a significant choice criterion for a significant number of consumers.

Criteria for selecting a delivery service France, ****, in Source: ****

The majority of French consumers choose standard delivery (***) or pick-up at a relay point. Express delivery comes last, despite the fact that **% of French people say they have used it.

Frequency of use of delivery methods France, ****, in Source: ****

The most popular delivery method for which the French are prepared to pay more is express delivery. This makes sense, given that **% of French people say they look forward to the delivery of their parcels and groceries.

For which delivery method would you be willing to pay more? France, ****, in Source: ****

Percentage of French people who look forward to delivery France, ****, in Source: ****

2.3 French people's preferences for different parcel delivery companies

Numerous delivery companies operate in France, but it's clear that consumers prefer French groups.

How the French rate the various parcel delivery companies France, ****, in Source: ****

The three groups preferred by the French are French brands: Colissimo (***). The appreciation gap between French brands and those of other nationalities is wide, since UPS ranks *ᵉ with only **% appreciation.

Appreciation of parcel delivery companies by gender France, ****, in % Source: ****

There is a distinction between the sexes: women tend to prefer French players (***).

Appreciation of parcel delivery companies by age group France, ****, in Source: ****

We can see that for French brands, it's the ** - ** age group that gives the best score. For foreign players, on the other hand, the highest-scoring age group is **-**. This can probably be explained by the fact that older age groups are more likely than younger ones to favor French brands.

Appreciation of parcel delivery companies by socio-professional category France, ****, in Source: ****

There is no clear trend in the appreciation of French parcel delivery companies according to socio-professional category. CSP+ customers prefer Colissimo. On the other hand, when it comes to foreign players, it's almost systematically the CSP+ who give the best score, and the inactive the worst.

3.1. The French express freight market is becoming increasingly concentrated

The number of courier and express companies in France is falling steadily, from *,*** in **** to *,*** in ****, corresponding to a decline of around **.*%.

number of establishments in the courier and express freight sector France, **** - ****, in number of establishments Source: ****

This phenomenon reflects a concentration of the business, with the biggest companies in the sector buying out players.

The number of employees in the market has varied little since ****, rising slightly to **,*** in ****, an increase of *.*% compared to ****.

Number of employees in the courier and express freight sector France, **** - ****, in number of employees Source: ****

This structural increase in the number of employees is reassuring against a backdrop of automation of parcel sorting and movement processes in the ever larger and more modern warehouses built by the major parcel delivery companies.

What's more, the business failure rate in the postal and courier sector has been falling since ****, and will be *% in **** and ****.

change in business insolvency rate in postal and courier activities France, **** - ****, in % Source: ****

In ****, the government measures introduced during the health crisis were still in force, which surely explains the very good default rate results. These measures include freezing the date of cessation of payments, setting up a solidarity ...

3.2. Strengthening national and international players

The two world leaders in express parcel delivery are American giants FedEx and UPS. Lately, FedEx has benefited from an influx of customers from UPS, which has been affected by the threat of strikes. An agreement was reached with employees ahead of the *ᵉʳ August **** deadline, averting the strike. In addition, FedEx's freight arm has picked up part of the business of Yellow Corp. a truck delivery service, which declared bankruptcy earlier this month[***].

The major international players have several sites and depots in France, such as FedEx Express, which has operated a hub at Roissy - CDG since ****, with economic spin-offs estimated at *** million euros a year[***].

DHL Express is the market leader in international parcel delivery in France, with a **% market share. It employs over *,*** people, placing it ahead of its main competitors, FedEx and UPS.

French groups are also expanding internationally, such as Bordeaux-based Sterne, which acquired Germany's Nox NachtExpress in early ****. The company, which had sales of €*** million in ****, has grown from *,*** to *,*** employees, enabling it to expand into Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands[***].

Companies revolving around these major players are also expanding, such as CT Express, an express transport brokerage and consulting firm founded in ****. It focuses ...

3.3. The different phases of parcel delivery and the last mile

Sending a parcel is a process that requires a number of different stages to ensure that it runs smoothly and is optimized, which is why express delivery companies are so efficient.

The last stage in the parcel delivery process is the so-called"last mile". This term designates the final segment in the delivery of an order to the home, generally the most difficult to manage and the most costly, representing ** to **% of total delivery costs. This problem has grown with the expansion of e-commerce and the increasing number of parcels to be delivered. The complexity of the last mile lies in the actual delivery of the product and the availability of the recipient to receive the parcel. What's more, transport costs for this segment are generally not shared or mutualized with other parcels, thus increasing its cost[***].

To overcome the difficulties of the last mile, express carriers are focusing on technological innovation or entering into partnerships with start-ups in order to gain greater flexibility (***).

3.4 Low Emission Zones: a major challenge for express delivery

The introduction of Low Emission Zones (***) in France represents a major challenge for companies specializing in express delivery. These zones, set up in several major cities, aim to limit air pollution by restricting access to the most polluting vehicles. These regulations are forcing industry players to review the composition of their fleets and rethink their logistics strategies.

EPZs: background and objectives

In **** and ****, many French cities have stepped up the application of EPZs. as of January *ᵉʳ, ****, all major conurbations were required to have a low-emission zone in order to improve air quality. The main aim of these measures is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are responsible for around **% of total emissions in France. The Crit'Air system classifies vehicles according to their environmental impact, gradually banning the most polluting vehicles from certain zones.

Major challenges for express delivery

The implementation of the ZFEs is forcing companies in the sector to take up a number of challenges:

Fleet modernization: Carriers need to invest in greener vehicles, such as electric vehicles or cargo bikes, to continue operating within the EPZs. This transition involves high costs, but financial aid is available to support these changes. Route optimization: Route management becomes crucial to avoid delays ...

4.1. Road freight, the main medium for express deliveries

There are different types of express freight, depending on the delivery method used:

Road Rail Maritime Air

Modal share of land freight transport France, ****, in Source: ****

In ****, the share of road transport by heavy goods vehicles in overland freight transport (***) increased slightly, from **.*% in **** to **.*%. This method is the most widely used.The share of rail freight transport , on the other hand, fell in **** to **.*%, compared with **.*% in ****. The share of river transport has remained stable at around *%. The majority of truck flags are French.

Share of French and foreign flags France, ****, as % of total Source: ****

In ****, more than half of all domestic road haulage by heavy goods vehicles in France was carried out on domestic routes, with **.*% carried out for hire or reward and *.*% on own account. In addition, **.*% of this traffic was carried out under foreign flags. The international activity of the French flag, for the portion of journeys made in France, made a more limited contribution to domestic road haulage, representing around *.*% in ****.

4.2. A steady rise in prices

The following graph shows production price indices for French courier and express freight services. These indices have been rising since ****.

Output price indices for French courier and express freight services to French companies France, Q*-**** - Q*-****, in price indices Source: ****

The rise in prices can be explained by the increase in fuel prices caused first by the energy crisis at the end of ****, then by the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in February ****. Inflation is also undoubtedly responsible for this price rise.

4.3. Transport prices

Websites such as tarif-colis.com enable consumers to easily compare prices and encourage competition. The procedure simply involves entering the country of departure and arrival, and the weight and dimensions of the parcel: a list of carriers detailing the service and price is then proposed by the website.

Prices vary according to a number of factors, including

the distance between the point of departure and the destination ; parcelsize and weight; delivery times and location.

For example, for a national shipment of a parcel weighing a maximum of *kg and measuring **x**x* cm, to be dispatched within a maximum of D+* (***), here are the different offers available:

4.4. Innovation at the heart of the express freight sector: some French start-ups make their mark

Faced with the big global players with their substantial economies of scale, some French start-ups are trying to assert themselves by being more innovative, flexible and digital.

Trusk, for example, aims to revolutionize delivery. The company's business model is based on the express transport of bulky objects, with delivery within the hour by professionals and handlers, at an advantageous price. The startup raised €* million in March **** from funds via ID and Daphni. It now aims to go international in Europe.

Another start-up, Cubyn, is an e-commerce logistics platform that offers professionals a range of services to simplify their deliveries: it is at once a courier to search for products to be delivered in under three hours, a prospector to detect the most attractive rate between several delivery companies (***) and a logistician to pack the products to be delivered. It has carried out over two million shipments since its creation and raised €** million in July **** from DN Capital[***].

Major players are taking advantage of this craze to sign contracts with some of these most promising start-ups. For example, in ****, DHL Express teamed up with collaborative delivery startup You*You, acquired by Yper in ****, to improve its last-mile deliveries in city centers.yper ...

5.1 Installation constraints

Professional road haulage contractors are subject to specific regulations. They must register their company, whether using two- or four-wheel motorized vehicles, on the transporters' register managed by the Direction Régionale de l'Environnement, de l'Aménagement et du Logement (***). Before registering, they must obtain authorization from the regional prefect, via the DREAL, to operate their business.

Registration in the transport register requires compliance with four obligations:

professional competence must be demonstrated by appointing a transport manager responsible for various tasks, including vehicle maintenance and contract verification. This manager, who may be a manager, a full-time employee or an external service provider, must obtain a certificate of professional competence; the company must demonstrate financial capacity, with specific amounts for vehicles weighing less than *.* tonnes. A bank guarantee can cover up to **% of the required amount in the event of shortfall; the company must have its head office in France and keep its administrative and accounting documents on site, while maintaining a fleet of vehicles assigned to the activity; the legal representative or transport manager must be in good standing, and must not be banned from exercising a commercial or industrial profession, or have committed certain criminal offences.

Individuals and entities in the ...

5.2 The main points of professional regulations

Regulation of road haulage is based on the law of December **, ****, known asthe "LOTI".the Loi d'Orientation des Transports Intérieurs (***), recodified in the Transport Code in December ****, establishes a right to transport that aims to enable travel under reasonable conditions of access, quality, price and cost for the community. It also provides a framework for relations between transit authorities and operators, requiring the signing of a contract between the two parties. This law facilitated the application of the "Sapin Law" in ****, by advocating the search for the best cost for the organizing authority and the principle of contracting.

In the road haulage sector, a company is authorized to subcontract up to **% of its annual sales. If it exceeds this subcontracting threshold, the company must obtain the status of freight forwarder.

Since ****, regulations have required all employees in the light transport and racing sector using a motorized vehicle (***) to undergo specific training. This training consists of a main three-day session to be completed as soon as the employee joins the profession, followed by an additional two-day training session to be completed within six months of the initial training[***].

5.3 Environmental regulations

European regulations :

Euro standards: Vehicles used for express transport must comply with Euro standards, which set emission limits for atmospheric pollutants such as carbon dioxide (***). Currently, the Euro */VI standard is in force for new vehicles in Europe, with very strict emission limits for exhaust gases. Reducing CO* emissions: The European Union has set CO* reduction targets for heavy-duty vehicles. from ****, new heavy-duty vehicle registrations will have to show an average **% reduction in CO* emissions, followed by **% in ****.

French regulations :

Traffic Restrictions: ZFEs are geographical zones delimited in certain cities or conurbations that aim to reduce air pollution by limiting access for the most polluting vehicles. Cleaner vehicles, such as electric or low-emission vehicles, can generally circulate freely in these zones.

Source: ****

6. Segmentation

• Geodis
• DB Schenker
• FedEx
• GLS (Royal Mail)
• UPS
• Colissimo La Poste
• Chronopost (La Poste)
• Mondial Relay
• DHL International Express France
• TNT Express
• DHL Group
• InPost
• Top Chrono
• Coursier.fr
• Coursier Privé
• Les Nouveaux Coursiers
• Coursier.com - À Toute Vitesse
• Central Courses
• Gemeaux Courses
• Excelcourses
• Deliver.ee
• Deliveroo
• Novéa
• Birdiz
• Fends la bise
• Urban Cycle
• Becycle