The reporting relies on Bundesnetzagentur data and updates are planned as more details emerge.

Deutsche Post and peers in Germany faced a record number of complaints last year, totaling 55,395, up about 25% from 2024, with most issues involving damaged or misdelivered letters and parcels and delivery delays.

The postal system is undergoing a major modernization and network restructuring to handle growing parcel volumes and declining letter volumes, backed by billions in investment for quieter, cleaner operations and infrastructure upgrades.

Despite the high total, the complaint rate remains small relative to overall volumes, roughly four complaints per million items transported.

Critics note that many people may refrain from complaining, which could skew perceptions of service quality, and some concerns appear tied to local issues rather than national trends.

A new complaint tool using multiple-choice responses may inflate counts with non-relevant complaints, potentially distorting statistics.

The regulator Bundesnetzagentur warns that the new tool could increase non-relevant complaints and affect the accuracy of the data.

There is tension between modernization investments and user-perceived service quality, as infrastructure expands while complaints persist.

Early 2026 data show 20,316 critical complaints in Q1, with monthly totals rising in January (8,742) and easing by March (4,768), and note that the new complaint tool may affect year-over-year comparability.

The quarterly start of 2026 indicates continued high complaint activity, though monthly figures declined through March, reflecting ongoing adjustments from the new reporting method.

Historically, complaints have risen from about 15,000 in 2021 to roughly 43,000 in 2022, with continued high levels through 2023–2024 amid staffing and Covid-related issues and ongoing modernization.

Officials emphasize there is no systemic quality problem, while reforms and regulatory adjustments aim to improve reliability amid mounting complaints.