The new law is expected to be approved this week and take effect in 2023
Catalonia is set to approve a new delivery regulation. Source: depositphotos.com
The Catalonian Ministry of Labor is considering approving a new law that will regulate and limit the delivery times of home deliveries, Ecommerce News report.
This way, the ministry wants to minimize competition between physical and online retail.
According to the new law, online stores can only offer deliveries of orders in the same hours as brick-and-mortar opening hours. This means that parcels can be delivered during a maximum of 12 hours, with 9.00 p.m. as a limit from autumn to spring. In summer, parcels can also be delivered until 10.00 p.m. The law also proposed a prohibition on deliveries in the weekends, especially on Sundays.
Spain’s e-commerce has grown considerably in the last 2 years. In fact, the amount of online sales grew 28%, coming to around 66 million home deliveries.
Additionally, of the almost 80 million online sales yearly, around 11% are returned, leading to even more trips made by parcel couriers.
According to the Ministry of Labor, this growth has put increased pressure on delivery companies. On the other hand, the endless stream of online sales and delivery possibilities harm brick-and-mortar stores that can’t keep up with customer demands. The law is meant to put an end to this.
If the law is approved, delivery companies can also be required to use eco-friendly vehicles. Working conditions in warehouses and dark stores will also become more regulated. Municipalities in Catalonia will have autonomy when it comes to regulating deliveries.
The proposed law is included in a larger 2022-2025 Action Plan for Trade, Crafts and Fashion. The government has credited a budget of 150 million euros to the plan, which wants to improve e-commerce in Catalonia, while at the same time strengthen local brick-and-mortar retailers.
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