Under 10% of shipping companies use Eircode

Fewer than one in 10 logistics and shipping companies have adapted their businesses to use Eircode, according to a survey by KPMG.

KPMG along with Services advisor CBRE and the Freight Transport Association of Ireland have published the second annual Ireland Logistics & Supply Chain Confidence Index which found 92% of companies that replied to their survey say “they have not adapted their business processes in order to exploit Eircode”.

The same survey last year found 96% of companies did not adapt their business to use Eircode.

“Many respondents said there is now a greater adoption of Eircode but, for the most part, it is not having a huge impact on their business to date,” the survey’s report states.

A total of 52 companies responded to the survey, including businesses such as Aer Lingus Cargo, DHL, and the Musgrave group. Logistics firms accounted for 27 of respondents, while shipping companies made up the rest of those surveyed.

Nearly nine out of 10 (89%) of logistics companies said they have not taken any action in relation to their business processes with the introduction of Eircode, with 96% of shipping respondents highlighting no changes since its introduction.

Almost three quarters of those asked (72%) said there had been no change in their attitude to Eircode compared to this time last year, while almost 20% of respondents said they were “more positively disposed towards the Eircode system than they were 12 months ago”.

The survey showed 8% of respondents said they felt more negative about Eircode than they were 12 months ago.

Meanwhile, 18% of respondents said “Brexit uncertainty” was the greatest challenge facing the sector in the next year, while four in 10 companies say conditions will be “somewhat more difficult” in the next 12 months.