Largest Dutch cities trying to get grip on rapidly increasing number of package lockers

The Netherlands’ four large cities are working to get a grip on the ever-increasing number of package lockers popping up in supermarkets, gyms, and on the streets. They’re in talks with delivery companies PostNL and DHL and retailers to make agreements on how many lockers can be installed and where, the Financieele Dagblad reported, based on an agreement signed by aldermen from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht on Friday.

A spokesperson for the municipality of Amsterdam confirmed to FD that the four largest cities are having “discussions regarding agreements with major delivery companies to use package lockers and drop-off points more efficiently.”

According to the newspaper, the cities see the lockers as a potential solution to traffic jams caused by delivery trucks and vehicles going door-to-door. The agreement signed by the aldermen aims to ensure that all residents have a locker or manned package point within walking or cycling distance. But they also want to protect the aesthetics of their cities, especially in the historic city centers.

“In Amsterdam alone, over 124,000 parcels are delivered daily by various delivery services, 80% of which are delivered to people’s homes,” Amsterdam alderman Melanie van der Horst told FD in a written response. “Parcel vans then stand still on the street 80,000 times. This causes congestion and unsafe situations.”

Having parcels delivered to centrally located lockers will help with that, the aldermen expect. But they also want to prevent wild growth. There are no concrete plans yet. The agreement signed iw a best-efforts obligation. But according to FD, it does clearly state that, “for the time being,” no lockers will be placed on the streets in “(historic) city centers.” Operators must first actively seek alternatives like inside shops, bicycle parking facilities, libraries, or the like.

The agreements come as major delivery companies and retailers are investing heavily in out-of-home delivery. DHL currently has 2,150 lockers in the Netherlands and plans to increase that to 3,000 this year. PostNL plans to install 600 lockers per year, totalling 3,600 by 2028.

Delivery services and retailers are seeing more people picking up parcels at drop-off points rather than having them delivered at home. This is due to convenience - then you don’t have to wait at home for a delivery - but also to save costs for everyone involved. "We see that this makes driving more efficient,” PostNL told the newspaper.