kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 17523:2020

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 17523:2020
01-julij-2020
Poštne storitve - Embalaža za škatlaste predmete - Karakteristike embalaže
manjših in lahkih predmetov, ki se dostavljajo v poštni nabiralnik stranke

Postal services - Packaging for boxable items - Characteristics for packaging of small

Eigenschaften von Verpackungen für kleine und leichte Waren, die in den Briefkasten

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

2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

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 draft Technical Specification is submitted to CEN members for Vote. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee

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

Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are

Warning : This document is not a Technical Specification. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change

© 2020 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. FprCEN/TS 17523:2020 E

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 Compiant to EN 13724 ................................................................................................................................... 8

5.1.2 Compliant with midsized aperature......................................................................................................... 8

5.1.3 Compliant with small aperatures .............................................................................................................. 8

5.1.4 Document vs. goods ........................................................................................................................................ 8

5.2 Stacking............................................................................................................................................................... 8

5.2.1 Stacking requirements .................................................................................................................................. 8

5.2.2 Stacking compliant to EN 13724 ................................................................................................................ 9

5.2.3 Stacking compliant to the midsized aperature of 25 mm ................................................................. 9

5.2.4 Stacking compliant to the small aperature 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 to EN 13724 .............................................................................................................................. 13

A.1.2.1 Evaluation of the optimal thickness for C4 ......................................................................................... 13

A.1.2.2 Expansion to all “C” boxable sizes .......................................................................................................... 13

A.1.3 Compliant to the midsized apertures of 25 mm ................................................................................ 14

A.1.3.1 Evaluation of the optimal thickness for C4 ......................................................................................... 14

A.1.3.2 Expansion to all “C” boxable sizes .......................................................................................................... 14

A.1.4 Compliant to the “Small” apertures of 20 mm ................................................................................... 14

A.1.4.1 Evaluation of the optimal thickness for C4 ......................................................................................... 14

A.1.4.2 Expansion to all “C” boxable sizes .......................................................................................................... 15

Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................................. 16

This document (FprCEN/TS 17523:2020) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 331

Ecommerce led to raising volumes of commercial postal items. Postal items containing documents are

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

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

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

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

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 key players in the Ecommerce supply chain are e-retailers (incl. manufacturers), postal companies

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

A survey in 2017 revealed that 25,6 % of consumers received items delivered in boxes or parcels that

were far too large. Fifteen % 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

7 % of consumers stated that products arrived damaged as a result of inappropriate packaging. 19,8 %

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

— 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

— the possibility of stacking parcels reduces the space needed in warehouses and delivery vans and

— standards make it easier for automation, as manufactures adapt their solutions to a larger base of

— the reduction of packaging material and the use of environmentally friendly packaging materials

This document is in line with the legal European framework for packaging and packaging waste which is

designed to prevent the production of packaging waste and promote the reuse, recycling and other forms

of recovering of packaging waste, instead of its final disposal, thus contributing to the transition towards

— waste management in the European Union should be improved, with a view to protecting, preserving

and improving the quality of the environment, protecting human health, ensuring prudent efficient

and rational utilization of natural resources, promoting the principles of the circular economy,

enhancing the use of renewable energy, increasing energy efficiency, reducing the dependence of the

Union on imported resources, providing new economic opportunities and contributing to long-term

competitiveness. The more efficient use of resources would also bring substantial net savings for

Union businesses, public authorities and consumers, while reducing total annual greenhouse gas

— as the amount and type of packaging used generally depends on choices made by the producer rather

than the consumer, extended producer responsibility schemes should be established.

The letterbox standard EN 13724 was defined in connection with the envelope category “C”. This is a local

German standard [DIN 678-1:1998-1 Envelopes – Part 1: Sizes] but the main size category in Europe for

This document covers physical properties and characteristics for the packaging for small and light weight

postal items to be delivered into the consumer’s letterbox. It covers the main design features for the

packaging of letterboxable postal items, notably the sizes and stacking as well as postal and