Waiting for your parcels to be delivered? DPD struggles to keep up with holiday orders in Budapest
One of Hungary’s major parcel delivery companies, DPD, is facing mounting criticism after widespread delays and communication failures left thousands of customers uncertain about whether their Christmas parcels would arrive on time. Complaints have been particularly frequent in Budapest, where the company has acknowledged “serious pressure” on its delivery network.
According to reports by Telex and Pénzcentrum, customers have been experiencing late deliveries, contradictory tracking information, repeated “failed delivery” notifications despite being at home, and an almost unreachable customer service operation.
Parcels stuck, tracking unclear, customer service unreachable
Many customers say their parcels have missed scheduled delivery times with no clear explanation. In several cases, DPD’s tracking system showed conflicting information, with parcels simultaneously marked as delivered, returned to a depot, or awaiting redelivery.
Rescheduled deliveries often failed to take place, while customer service lines were reportedly overloaded. Some customers said they waited more than 30–45 minutes on hold, while others were unable to speak to a representative at all.
In extreme cases, customers were advised to collect parcels in person from DPD depots. At some Budapest warehouses, long queues reportedly formed, with people waiting outside in the cold for over an hour. One customer described at least 20 people lining up continuously, while staff searched for parcels that had become misplaced inside the warehouse system.
Facebook group formed by affected customers
Frustrated customers have since set up a Facebook group called “DPD Hungary károsultak” (DPD Hungary victims), where dozens of new posts appear daily. Many members report that their parcels have been stuck at depots for days, with no information on when another delivery attempt might take place.
Some customers were able to collect their parcels in person, while others were turned away after being told that only shipments already prepared for personal pickup could be handed over.
DPD: problems mainly affect Budapest
Responding to the criticism, DPD’s commercial and marketing director, László Varga, acknowledged delays to Telex but said the situation was “not dramatic” (members of the DPD Facebook group clearly do not agree with him). According to him, the problems are largely limited to Budapest, particularly districts where parcel volumes increased “extremely” compared to previous years.
He noted that deliveries in rural areas have generally been running smoothly, a claim supported by some customers outside the capital who reported timely deliveries.
Christmas peak and parcel lockers add pressure
Varga explained that parcel volumes typically rise by around 50% between late November and early December due to Black Friday and Christmas shopping. This year’s demand exceeded expectations, partly because more people ordered gifts online instead of visiting physical shops.
He also highlighted the growing use of parcel lockers as an additional challenge. Larger parcels do not fit into every locker compartment, meaning new deliveries sometimes cannot be placed until earlier parcels are collected. In such cases, shipments may be redirected to other nearby lockers, potentially causing delays of several days.
DPD says it is still committed to delivering all Budapest orders placed before 15 December, and rural orders placed before 19 December, in time for Christmas.
Couriers point to staff shortages and subcontractors
Some couriers, however, paint a less optimistic picture. A delivery driver interviewed by Telex blamed labour shortages, low pay, and heavy workloads, claiming that staff turnover is high and that some couriers have been responsible for covering entire Budapest districts alone.
DPD operates primarily through subcontractors. While the company runs central distribution hubs, local depots and couriers are often managed by partner firms. According to couriers, some subcontractors entered the holiday season understaffed, leading to bottlenecks and delayed deliveries.
While Varga said recruitment was expanded over the summer, he admitted that the Christmas peak started earlier than expected and that the company underestimated the number of workers required. He also noted that training new couriers during the peak season is difficult, as onboarding can take longer than the holiday period itself.
A long-standing company under growing strain
DPD was founded in West Germany in 1976 and now operates across Europe under the Geopost brand, owned by the French state postal service. Globally, the company delivers around 8 million parcels per day, generating EUR 15.8 billion in revenue and EUR 614 million in profit last year.
In Hungary, DPD has been operating since 2003 and currently works with nearly 700 couriers. While its domestic revenue rose to HUF 23.8 billion last year, profits dropped sharply compared to 2022, which reflects a broader trend in the courier sector: rising revenues alongside shrinking margins.