Deutsche Post Investigation Closed by Federal Cartel Office

The German Federal Cartel Office has closed its investigation into Deutsche Post, finding no evidence of anti-competitive agreements in the mail consolidation services market. Deutsche Post welcomes the decision, saying it confirms their view that they did not violate competition law. However, rival DVS has filed a cartel lawsuit against Deutsche Post, seeking damages of around one billion euros.

The German Federal Cartel Office (FCO) has concluded its two-year investigation into alleged anti-competitive conduct by Deutsche Post, finding no evidence of wrongdoing. The probe focused on Deutsche Post's mail consolidation services, where its subsidiary Deutsche Post InHaus Services collects and processes letters from several companies, granting discounts on aggregated volumes.

The FCO's investigation centered on the market for collecting and processing letters from large companies, where Deutsche Post competes with Max-Ventures. The two companies previously held stakes in Compador, another player in the market segment, with Deutsche Post owning 26% and Max-Ventures owning 74%. To address the FCO's concerns, Deutsche Post sold its Compador stake to Max-Ventures and canceled contracts to process orders for Max-Ventures, eliminating any ownership ties.

Deutsche Post welcomed the closure of the proceedings, stating that it had always maintained its position that it had not violated competition law. The company's view was confirmed by the FCO's decision.

However, rival DVS has filed a cartel lawsuit against Deutsche Post, seeking damages of around one billion euros. The lawsuit alleges that Deutsche Post abused its dominant position in the market to the detriment of competitors like DVS.

The FCO's decision underscores the ongoing scrutiny of market consolidation practices in the postal services sector. While Deutsche Post's practices were deemed compliant with competition laws, the legal battle with DVS highlights the potential for ongoing disputes in this competitive landscape.

References:
[1] https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/DHL-GROUP-435996/news/German-antitrust-watchdog-drops-probe-into-DHL-s-corporate-mail-consolidation-50445598/
[2] https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/german-antitrust-watchdog-drops-probe-into-dhl-sources-say-2025-07-07/