The positive performance of the Strategic Business Unit in 2021 reflects growing revenue in both segments, mail and parcels, driven by the significant development of the latter. Positive contribution from the mail segment thanks to the recovery of production activities compared to 2020 and the integration of the Nexive Group.
The 2021 of the sector
Results and KPIs
| MAIL, PARCELS AND DISTRIBUTION (€m) | 2021 | 2020 | CHANGES | |
| External revenue | 3,685 | 3,201 | +484 | +15.1 |
| Revenue from other sectors | 4,694 | 4,633 | +62 | +1.3% |
| Total revenue | 3,380 | 7,833 | +546 | +7.0% |
| Costs | 8,607 | 8,349 | +258 | +3.1% |
| Costs vs other sectors | 78 | 73 | +5 | +6.7% |
| Total costs | 8,685 | 8,422 | +263 | +3.1% |
| EBIT | (305) | (588) | +283 | +48.1% |
| EBIT Margin % | -4,2% | -7,5% | ||
| NET RESULT | (230) | (419) | +189 | +45.1% |
| Operating KPIs | 2021 | 2020 | CHANGES | |
| Mail and parcels | ||||
| Revenue/FTE (€k) | 70 | 63 | +6 | +9.8% |
| Parcels that can be delivered as standard mail (volumes in m) | 80 | 74 | +6 | +8.7% |
| New Punto Poste Network (number of lockers and alternative collection points) | 13,504 | 10,799 | +2,705 | +25.0% |
| Incidence of parcels delivered using alternative channels* (%) | 2.6% | 1.2% | ||
| Distribution | ||||
| Number of customers (m) | 35.1 | 35.0 | +0.1 | +0.4 |
| Number of Post Offices | 12,761 | 12,765 | (4) | -0.0% |
| Rooms dedicated to consultancy | 6,979 | 6,782 | +197 | +2.9% |
| Postamat ATM network | 8,107 | 7,957 | +150 | +1.9% |
| ESG | ||||
| Green fleet (electric vehicles) | 1,737 | 1,319 | +418 | +31.7% |
| Charging points installed | 1,402 | 952 | +450 | +47.3% |
| Smart post boxes | 405 | 347 | +58 | +16.7% |
| No. of buildings involved in the Smart Building project** | 652 | 45 | +607 | n.s. |
* Third-party networks. Calculated as volumes of packages delivered on Punto Poste Network (Lockers, tobacconists and other collect points) of the total volumes of B2C parcels.
** Automated and remote management of buildings to achieve energy efficiencies
EXTERNAL REVENUE
(€ m)
Road to 2024
“2024 Sustain & Innovate” strategy
Logistic player market leader, with the objective of growing in the parcels and express courier sector
- Evolution of the logistics network
- B2C market leadership
- Growth in C2X and B2B markets
| SEGMENT | OPERATING REVIEW | PILLAR |
| Parcels | The two new parcel hubs in Northern and Central Italy* are now fully operational, with the hub in Landriano (prov. Pavia) in Northern Italy inaugurated in June. This is the largest logistics centre in Italy (80 thousand square metres), capable of handling peaks of over 300 thousand parcels a day thanks to the most advanced technological standards. * The hub in Passo Corese (prov. Rieti) was inaugurated in November 2020 and covers 52 thousand square metres. |  |
| The Poste Deliverybox Express22 parcel sales service was launched at tobacconists affiliated with the Italian Federation of Tobacconists (FIT) belonging to the Punto Poste network. As at 31 December 2021 more than 10,000 points were in operation. | | |
| The extension of home delivery of medicines continued in large cities and medium/small municipalities. This is offered in three modes: instant (within 90 minutes of purchase), scheduled (at the desired time) and next day (day after purchase). The service is currently active in 169 municipalities (major cities and medium-small towns). | | |
| As part of last mile services, Poste Delivery Now233 was launched. The service is currently available in Italy’s major cities and will be further expanded in 2022. | | |
| The new Reverse Paperless feature was released, a new solution that allows e-shoppers to return online purchases without having to print any paper documents24. | | |
| The online Poste Delivery Web25 service (which makes it possible to ship parcels of up to 30 Kg throughout Italy and the world) was enhanced with the new Instant Delivery26. The service is currently available in Rome and Milan and will gradually be extended to all major Italian cities. |  | |
| In March 2021, the acquisition of a majority shareholding in Sengi Express Limited was finalised. The company is a reference point for Chinese e-commerce merchants in the Italian market and a leader in the creation and management of cross-border logistics solutions. | | |
| The logistic support to the vaccination campaign for the delivery of Covid-19 vaccine doses continued, with over 25 million doses delivered throughout Italy. Poste Italiane also offered free access to an online vaccination booking platform. Finally, the distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) throughout Italy continued. | | |
| “Smart Letter Boxes”27 project. In 2021, 58 boxes with screens were installed (21 in Milan, 34 in Rome and 3 in Turin) in addition to the 347* boxes without * Installed in small municipalities and other municipalities (>5,000 inhabitants). | | |
| In January 2021, the acquisition of the entire share capital of Nexive was completed, to rationalise the value chain in the logistics sector. Integration activities within the Group continued, necessary to achieve the pre-established economic synergies and operating efficiency and as of 1 October 2021 Nexive Network operates as an Operating Company, managing and coordinating the Group’s new delivery network. | |
22. Poste Deliverybox Express is the shipping service with box included that allows sending directly from post office or Punto Poste at the same time of purchase or within one year, at no additional cost. There are two delivery attempts: if recipients also miss the second delivery attempt, they have 10 days to collect the parcel from the Post Office indicated in the failed delivery notice, without having to pay anything. It is also possible to request Poste Deliverybox Express home pick-up anywhere in Italy. In case of non-delivery due to absence or refusal of the recipient, wrong address or failure to collect, the shipment will be returned free of charge.
23. The service enables the maximum level of personalisation of e-commerce shipments, enabling the recipient to receive their purchases on the day that the order is made or during a preferred time slot, including evenings or Saturdays.
24. The sender of the return can go to a proximity point (Post Office or Punto Poste store) and deliver the shipment showing only the qr code received from the merchant or, in case of home collection, simply hand the shipment to the courier, who will include the waybill already printed.
25. Poste Delivery Web is a service used to ship online packages from home without hassles, using either the website or the Post Office app. Shipments of up to 30 kg can be purchased throughout Italy or abroad with free at-home collection or, alternatively, they can be shipped from the post office or the Punto Poste Network.
26. The new services allow users who have registered with the poste.it website to make local shipments in just a few hours, with three options available: instant (collection and delivery of the parcel within 90 minutes), today (same day collection and delivery in a time range chosen by the customer) and tomorrow (collection and delivery on the day after purchase in a time range chosen by the customer).
27. This project involves replacing 10,500 traditional letterboxes with Smart boxes equipped with sensors to detect the presence of mail, environmental sensors to detect temperature, humidity and pollution and, for some, e-ink (electronic ink) screens to transmit advertising messages for the Group’s products and services.
© Poste Italiane 2025 - VAT number: 01114601006