The Hague, 14 February 2026 – Valentine’s Day is all about love and appreciation. Every day, deliverers go out into the streets to make a difference, and they receive a great deal of appreciation in return. Figures from PostNL show that in 2025, deliverers received a heart every eight seconds via the PostNL app. This amounts to 11,558 hearts per day, double the number recorded in 2024. In addition, recipients left a written compliment every minute. This form of interaction showcases how important the relationship between deliverer and consumer is.
This appreciation took on extra significance at the beginning of 2026. During a week marked by icy conditions, snowfall and a ‘code orange’ weather warning, our deliverers received nearly 19,000 written compliments, almost twice as many as in an average week (+96%). While normally around 11% of all compliments are written, this rose to 19% during that week. In addition, 82,000 hearts were shared via the PostNL app. The sharp increase in written compliments shows the strong impression deliverers made. When conditions were most challenging, consumers took the time to put their appreciation into words.
Compliments left by customers are currently shared with deliverer via their manager but will soon also be visible directly on the handheld scanner at the start of the working day. This allows deliverers to begin their day with positive energy. The compliments show how important genuine connection between deliverer and recipient is, at a time when parcel delivery can sometimes be experienced as rushed or impersonal. Supported by digital tools, PostNL continuously works on strengthening the interaction between consumer and deliverer, with solutions that create space for feedback, appreciation and small moments that matter. After delivery, recipients can leave a written compliment or an emoji via the PostNL app, by email or via Track & Trace. In addition, on the day of delivery it is possible to contact the deliverer via the PostNL app. The deliverer receives a notification and can respond during the delivery round, after which the reply follows by email. Contact can be made while the deliverer is still working.