FRANKFURT, May 7 (Reuters) - Deutsche Post wants an end to stamp price regulation and to be given the freedom to set its own prices at market-relevant levels, its Chief Executive told a German weekely on Saturday.
'We have to pay value-added tax; the minimum wage is upon us. The time has come for us to be able to set market-relevant prices like any other company,' Frank Appel said in a prerelease of his WirtschaftsWoche interview.
'The Post has not raised prices for the past 14 years,' he added.
He said the company has not yet decided if it would file a request with the regulator to allow it to raise prices.
Deutsche Post is struggling with lower sales in its letter division because consumers and businesses are switching to email.
Appel has announced several times before the firm would like to discuss with the government issues related to any price increases, such as the kind of formula used to compute prices.
(Reporting by Marilyn Gerlach; editing by Keiron Henderson) Keywords: DEUTSCHEPOST STAMPS/ (marilyn.gerlach.reuters.net@reuters.com; +4969 7576 1279; marilyn.gerlach@thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
'We have to pay value-added tax; the minimum wage is upon us. The time has come for us to be able to set market-relevant prices like any other company,' Frank Appel said in a prerelease of his WirtschaftsWoche interview.
'The Post has not raised prices for the past 14 years,' he added.
He said the company has not yet decided if it would file a request with the regulator to allow it to raise prices.
Deutsche Post is struggling with lower sales in its letter division because consumers and businesses are switching to email.
Appel has announced several times before the firm would like to discuss with the government issues related to any price increases, such as the kind of formula used to compute prices.
(Reporting by Marilyn Gerlach; editing by Keiron Henderson) Keywords: DEUTSCHEPOST STAMPS/ (marilyn.gerlach.reuters.net@reuters.com; +4969 7576 1279; marilyn.gerlach@thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
