Swiss Post reports revenue decline in the first half of 2025

The Swiss Post generated an operating result (EBIT) of 118 million francs in the first half of 2025. This result is in line with expectations but significantly below the previous year’s level. The main reasons are the ongoing decline in letter volumes, newspapers, and counter business, as well as rising costs. Additionally, there are certain efforts in Parliament to tighten regulations on the Post, as reported by finanzen.ch.

(Bern) Despite the challenging environment, the Post remains financially solid but must also adapt to new market conditions: It is evolving its offerings based on real customer needs and proactively implementing efficiency measures. This aims to ensure that it remains relevant for people and businesses in Switzerland and can continue to provide basic services independently without taxpayer money.

The financial result for the first half of the year is significantly below the previous year’s level. While revenue (operating income) is only slightly lower than in the first half of the previous year, the operating result of 118 million francs is 29 percent below the previous period. The profit, at 74 million francs, is also significantly below the first half of 2024 (–44 percent). “The Post remains on financially sound footing and can finance basic services and its offerings independently. However, the structural challenges in the core business and the associated costs are clearly reflected in the results,” says Björn Walker, interim CFO of the Post.

Post customers are increasingly using digital offerings

In the first half of the year, the parcel market in Switzerland grew for the first time in three years, and the volume of parcels handled by the Post increased by 3.4 percent compared to the previous year. During the same period, letter volumes continued to decline by 4.9 percent. At the same time, Post customers are increasingly utilizing the Post’s digital offerings. For example, the Post app has seen an increase in downloads. While there were 2 million downloads in 2019, this number doubled by 2024, reaching 4.4 million by the end of 2024. Currently, the app has 4.7 million downloads. The digital advertising market and digitized government services have also developed positively. PostAuto recorded a 2.8 percent increase in passenger numbers in the first half of the year, exceeding 95 million passengers. With contemporary products and customer-oriented offerings, the Post ensures that it facilitates everyday life for businesses, institutions, and the public with both physical and digital services. Alex Glanzmann, interim CEO, states: “That is precisely why we are responding proactively. We are developing a modern public service that meets the real needs of people in Switzerland. We are acting today to provide added value to Switzerland in the future.”

For a basic service without taxpayer money

At the same time, the Post is optimizing its internal structures and continuously working on its efficiency. In addition, regular and market-appropriate price adjustments are necessary for the Post to continuously evolve according to customer needs and to fulfill its basic service mandate on behalf of the federal government in the highest quality – self-financed, without taxpayer money. Thus, price increases and efficiency measures are two pillars of the Post’s strategy that it has been implementing since 2021. The changing needs of private customers and SMEs are the focus. For this reason, the Post plans to realign the central units of the PostNetz division by 2026. As part of the reorganization, a maximum of 100 layoffs and 20 changes in employment contracts are possible. The Post aims for the most socially acceptable implementation possible. Definitive decisions will follow after the consultation process concludes at the end of September. Additionally, growth and development as well as sustainability are central to the future of the Post. However, it is clear that the economic pressure on postal basic services is increasing.

Entrepreneurial flexibility remains central

The basic service mandate currently costs the Post around 370 million francs. As customers, for example, send fewer letters, the same fixed costs are spread over fewer letters. In other words, each individual letter is becoming more expensive for the Post. To ensure that basic services remain viable in the future, regulatory requirements are needed that allow for long-term innovations, realistic adjustments to changing customer behavior, and continued sufficient entrepreneurial flexibility. The current postal legislation dates back to a time when smartphones were hardly widespread. What matters is the service for the Post’s customers and that people in Switzerland have access to reliable postal services. Whether on the app or at the counter: The Post ensures a reliable communication and logistics infrastructure – today and tomorrow. The key points recently presented by the Federal Council regarding the revision of the Postal Act and the regulatory adjustments are an important step towards modern framework conditions.

Photo: © Swiss Post