CEN/TS 17523:2020

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2020
Poštne storitve - Embalaža za predmete v škatlah - Značilnosti embalaže za
manjše in lažje predmete, ki se dostavljajo v poštni nabiralnik stranke
Postal services - Packaging for boxable items - Characteristics for packaging of small
and light weight items to be delivered into the consumer’s letterbox
Postalische Dienstleistungen - Verpackungen für briefkastenfähige Sendungen -
Eigenschaften von Verpackungen für kleine und leichte Waren, die in den Briefkasten
des Verbrauchers zugestellt werden
Services postaux - Emballage pour la livraison de colis dans la boîte aux lettres -
Caractéristiques d’emballage pour les marchandises petites et légères, destinées à être
livrées dans les boîtes aux lettres des destinataires
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: CEN/TS 17523:2020
ICS:
03.240 Poštne storitve Postal services
55.040 Materiali in pripomočki za Packaging materials and
pakiranje accessories
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

CEN/TS 17523
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
SPÉCIFICATION TECHNIQUE
October 2020
TECHNISCHE SPEZIFIKATION
ICS 03.240; 55.040
English Version
Postal services - Packaging for boxable items -
Characteristics for packaging of small and light weight
items to be delivered into the consumer's letterbox
Services postaux - Emballage pour la livraison de colis Postalische Dienstleistungen - Verpackungen für
dans la boîte aux lettres - Caractéristiques d'emballage briefkastenfähige Sendungen - Eigenschaften von
pour les marchandises petites et légères, destinées à Verpackungen für kleine und leichte Waren, die in den
être livrées dans les boîtes aux lettres des destinataires Briefkasten des Verbrauchers zugestellt werden
This Technical Specification (CEN/TS) was approved by CEN on 14 September 2020 for provisional application.

The period of validity of this CEN/TS is limited initially to three years. After two years the members of CEN will be requested to
submit their comments, particularly on the question whether the CEN/TS can be converted into a European Standard.

CEN members are required to announce the existence of this CEN/TS in the same way as for an EN and to make the CEN/TS
available promptly at national level in an appropriate form. It is permissible to keep conflicting national standards in force (in
parallel to the CEN/TS) until the final decision about the possible conversion of the CEN/TS into an EN is reached.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2020 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. CEN/TS 17523:2020 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Symbols and abbreviations . 8
5 Physical properties . 8
5.1 Format . 8
5.1.1 General . 8
5.1.2 Compliant with EN 13724. 8
5.1.3 Compliant with midsized aperture . 8
5.1.4 Compliant with small apertures . 8
5.1.5 Document vs. goods . 8
5.2 Stacking. 8
5.2.1 Stacking requirements . 8
5.2.2 Stacking compliant with EN 13724 . 9
5.2.3 Stacking compliant with the midsized aperture of 25 mm . 9
5.2.4 Stacking compliant with the small aperture of 20 mm . 9
5.3 Flap location . 10
5.4 Merchandise returns service . 10
6 Processing . 10
6.1 Transport packaging . 10
6.2 Packaging material . 11
6.2.1 Environmental. 11
6.2.2 Overall . 11
6.3 Automation . 11
Annex A (informative) Evaluation of the optimal thickness for stacking . 13
A.1 Stacking. 13
A.1.1 General . 13
A.1.2 Compliant with EN 13724. 13
A.1.3 Compliant with the midsized apertures of 25 mm . 14
A.1.4 Compliant with the “Small” apertures of 20 mm . 14
Bibliography . 16

European foreword
This document (CEN/TS 17523:2020) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 331 “Postal
services”, the secretariat of which is held by NEN.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the
following countries are bound to announce this Technical Specification: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United
Kingdom.
Introduction
Ecommerce led to raising volumes of commercial postal items. Postal items containing documents are
letters, whereas postal items containing goods are parcels or small packets.
This document refers to EN 13724 “Postal services - Apertures of private letter boxes and letter plates -
Requirements and test methods” and furthermore takes in consideration that there still are millions of
consumer’s letterboxes with a smaller aperture than defined in EN 13724.
This document addresses Ecommerce related delivery needs and challenges. It serves as a guidance for
large, medium and small online merchants, benefiting in sending small and light weight items as boxable
postal items to the consumer’s letterbox, using existing letter mail networks, with the advantage a
successful first delivery attempt:
— reducing packaging material;
— stacking the packages;
— supporting advanced automation for packaging.
International postal statistics show that some 80 % of addressed parcels generated by Ecommerce today
weight less than two kilograms. The most common weight category with 31 % is 200 g to 500 g. The value
of some 39 % is below 25 €. The majority of households (68 %) prefer to have the goods delivered to
their homes.
The top six product categories bought cross-border in 2018 were clothing (31 %), consumer electronics
(21 %), health and beauty (17 %), jewellery and watches (11 %), books, music and media (10 %) and
sport and leisure (10 %).
Consumers are frustrated by failed delivery messages such as “sorry we missed you” messages. Even
more frustrating is it when the parcel contains something that could easily have been popped through
the private letterbox if it had been appropriately packed.
The key players in the Ecommerce supply chain are e-retailers (incl. manufacturers), postal companies
and consumers.
Concerning their parcel volumes, e-retailers can be clustered in 4 groups:
— global e-retailers;
— regional e-retailers;
— small e-retailers;
— consumers, who ship goods privately sold.
E-retailers pack each consignment to meet the needs of the product and of the postal delivery logistics.
In order to speed up and ease the workflow, e-retailers try to standardize their “ideal” packaging allowing
protective, cheap and easy packaging and enabling returns. Unfortunately, such company specific
solutions too often result in “over-packaging” and “void space”, causing waste of valuable resources.
E-retailers who manage right-size packaging of postal items see substantial cuts in their own cost by
reducing both operational and shipping costs, saving storage space, cutting labour cost and order
administration, and significantly cutting assembly and packing times. Standardized packaging for postal
return services is of strategic importance to the Ecommerce market.
A survey in 2017 revealed that 25,6 % of consumers received items delivered in boxes or parcels that
were far too large. 15 % of the boxes or parcels used too much packaging. 22,8 % of consumers expressed
frustration at receiving items in packaging that had become ripped or damaged during transit, risking
damage to or loss of the contents of the parcel. Twenty % of packaging was not a good fit for the product.
7 % of consumers stated that products arrived damaged as a result of inappropriate packaging. 19,8 %
felt that the packaging was insufficient to protect the content, risking damage.
The postal operators act in a delivery market which has become particularly vibrant: consumers are
demanding low cost and fast delivery, e-retail giants are wielding greater market power, and global
integrators are muscling in on B2C delivery. Leveraging trusted brands, strong expertise and nationwide
networks, postal operators are looking to grow their share of both domestic and cross-border markets.
There is a continuous annual two digits increase of the number of parcels and a parallel increase of the
number of private receivers. Main issues for the postal operators are the quality and number of drivers,
the problems with deliveries into pedestrian zones during limited hours, double-delivery because of the
consumer’s absence and void-space.
“Letterboxable” packaging of postal items fulfils market needs:
— the letterboxable postal items will fit through a customer’s letterbox;
— first time delivery means less cost for the post and fewer emissions as there are no second or third
delivery attempts, no need for customers to collect parcels from postal outlets, courier depots or
parcel shops, leading to less impact on the environment;
— the possibility of stacking parcels reduces the space needed in warehouses and delivery vans and
thus can improve the workflow at e-retailers and posts;
— standards make it easier for automation, as manufactures adapt their solutions to a larger base of
standardi
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