German parcels carrier Hermes Logistik has introduced a diesel surcharge in response to the sharprise in fuel costs in recent months.
As of August 18, the company is imposing a surcharge of €0.20 for all domestic parcels and of€0.40 for all parcels sent to European destinations. The surcharge is shown separately on allinvoices.
Hermes said in a notice on its website that it had decided to follow competitors byintroducing a surcharge since it could no longer absorb the higher fuel costs despite “many savingsmeasures and the use of modern vehicles”.
German newspaper Handelsblatt reported that with the surcharge Hermes was now more expensivethat DHL for consumer parcels. The cheapest Hermes parcel, including the surcharge, now costs €4.10while DHL charges €3.90. A DHL spokesman told the newspaper that the German parcel market leaderhas no plans to introduce a diesel surcharge.
