July 14, 2026, 9:16 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Anyone looking to send a package weighing more than 23 kilograms in the future might not be able to use regular DHL parcel services. The DHL Group is calling for a legal weight limit to protect its delivery workers. Whether the government will take up this demand is currently uncertain.
The DHL Group is advocating for a legal limit on package weight at 23 kilograms. According to the company, such a cap would make a significant contribution to the health protection of parcel delivery workers nationwide, given the growing parcel business.
A corresponding change in the law would also have implications for senders. Packages weighing more than 23 kilograms would no longer be allowed to be sent via regular parcel services and would require alternative shipping solutions. The weight limit is part of a broader concept aimed at reducing the physical strain on DHL Group employees.
Packages up to 31.5 kilograms are currently allowed
Currently, DHL packages within Germany can weigh up to 31.5 kilograms. With the newly proposed legal limit of 23 kilograms, the permissible maximum weight for standard packages would decrease by 8.5 kilograms. Even today, senders must adhere to certain size and weight specifications. If shipments exceed the allowable dimensions, they are considered bulky goods and are treated separately.
However, the DHL Group’s demand is not new. During the reform of the Postal Act, there was already discussion about lowering the weight limit for individual package deliveries from 31.5 to 23 kilograms. The background was also the protection of delivery workers from physical overload. During the legislative process, there was debate about requiring packages over 23 kilograms to be delivered by two people. Ultimately, a general reduction in the weight limit was not enacted.
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What alternatives customers would have
If a legal 23-kilogram limit is introduced, heavier shipments would need to be sent by other means. Depending on the type of goods, freight companies or specialized parcel and furniture transport services could be considered. For particularly heavy items like washing machines, refrigerators, or large pieces of furniture, such delivery services are already common. For private customers, shipping heavier items could become more complicated and more expensive in many cases.
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DHL expands health program nationwide
The demand for a lower weight limit is only part of the measures. In parallel, the DHL Group is gradually rolling out its Ergo² prevention program to around 150 Post & Parcel Germany locations after a two-year pilot phase. The goal is to teach employees healthy movement patterns and integrate them permanently into their daily work routine.
Physiotherapists and sports scientists accompany the delivery teams directly at the workplace. They teach exercises such as lunges for unloading heavy packages or movements to activate core muscles during scanning. These so-called micro-exercises are linked to fixed routines in the workday and supplemented with information about the musculoskeletal system.
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Ergonomics and fall prevention as a joint approach
The concept combines ergonomically correct lifting and carrying with targeted balance training. This aims to reduce back strain and prevent trips and falls on stairs, gravel paths, and other uneven surfaces.
According to the DHL Group, participants in the pilot project report fewer physical complaints and a stronger team spirit. Due to the positive experiences, Ergo² is now being introduced nationwide. In 2025, the program received the Corporate Health Award in the special category “Ergonomics.”