Bpost handling 600,000 parcels per day amid holiday shopping season

Many Belgians are choosing to do at least some of their holiday shopping online this year, and as a result, Belgian postal service bpost is handling an estimated 600,000 parcels per day.

RTBF visited the Brussels X sorting centre, which covers over 100,000m² and sees 400,000 packages pass through its warehouse.

About 600 full-time employees using machines, trolleys and forklifts keep operations running smoothly, and the stakes are as high as they get this week.

The days leading up to Christmas and the New Year are the most important for customers, who are counting on the timely arrival of gifts they have ordered online.

“It's really the rush week before Christmas,” explained production manager Cédric Verwilghen.

“It's the most important week for our customers, so that everyone has their package under the tree before the holidays.”

Once unloaded into the Bpost warehouse, parcels follow a winding path of conveyor belts and slides until they land in containers.

After being sorted, the parcels can be sent anywhere in Belgium. The entire process, from arrival and unloading to sorting and reloading takes less than five minutes.

More than 400 destinations throughout the country are handled by the Brussels centre alone.