Online shoppers help drive record parcel deliveries

An extra 558 staff and 253 vans, trucks and planes had to be added to the New Zealand Post fleet to deal with capacity. Photo / Supplied

Online shopping is helping to drive a record number of parcel deliveries.

New Zealand Post has revealed it delivered a record 5.7 million parcels between Black Friday and Christmas Day.

An extra 558 staff and 253 vans, trucks and planes were added to the New Zealand Post fleet to deal with capacity.

Chief marketing officer Bryan Dobson said it was no secret people were sending fewer letters, and parcels were providing the service a lifeline thanks to online shopping.

"New Zealanders ... are continuing to embrace and shop online in record numbers," he said.

About 360,000 more parcels were moved in that period than the year before.

Dobson said New Zealand Post was ready for the increase.

"It's important that we prepare for year on year growth, so we were preparing for numbers slightly above that but we're very happy to deliver a record busy season."

Dobson said New Zealand Post was continually having to invest in business to ensure delivery, as parcels increasingly prove more profitable than letters.