Dive Brief:
- Cross-border postal exchanges have fallen 21% between Jan. 23 and May 14 compared to the same period last year, according to a report by the Universal Postal Union.
- Constraints on the airline industry resulting from the coronavirus pandemic have made it harder for postal services to move mail. The UPU's Emergency Information System saw an increase in reports of worker shortages, force majeure cases, disruptions and full suspensions throughout the year, according to numbers in the report.
- As of May 2020, only one exported item is marked as received for every 2.1 weekly items exported. The average time it takes for parcels to clear customs has grown considerably during this time, according to the report.