According to a forecast, customers in Germany are returning more products ordered online this year than ever before. The number of return packages is expected to rise to 550 million, said returns researcher Björn Asdecker from the University of Bamberg. “That’s a record.” The reason is that online trade is picking up again – which means that the number of returns, which are usually free of charge, is also increasing.
According to Asdecker, almost every fourth online package in this country is returned in full or in part. During the pandemic, people ordered more online, and the number of returns rose to around 530 million in 2021. After a decline in subsequent years, it reached this level again in 2024. According to a study by the retail research institute EHI, the return rate remains high. The most common item returned is clothing.
The Federal Association for Parcel and Express Logistics (BPEX) expects around 4.37 billion shipments to be transported in Germany in 2025 – around two percent more than in the previous year. Classic online trading is growing particularly strongly. The EHI expects that the largest 1,000 online shops in Germany will be able to increase their sales by more than five percent this year.
