UPDATE 1-Royal Mail ships more parcels as sales move online in lockdown

(Adds details on volumes, context)

July 21 (Reuters) – Britain’s Royal Mail said on Tuesday it had shipped 117 million more parcels in the June-ended quarter than last year, as people and businesses shifted to online sales during the coronavirus-led lockdown.

The company has had a turbulent few years with union resistance to a restructuring plan as letter volumes fall. The global health crisis has exacerbated its woes, bringing forward the need to align strategies to parcels and logistics.

Parcel volume growth of 38% and growth of 22% at its international ground-based parcel network, GLS, and other trends were similar to those seen earlier in the year, the company said, as part of updates it plans to provide during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Royal Mail, one of the world’s oldest postal companies, reiterated it has been in talks with its largest labour union to settle a long-running dispute over pay and operational changes that include thousands of layoffs.

It added there had been no changes to consumer behaviour so far as Britain eases the restrictions it had put in place to curb the spread of the virus and that there were no changes to its outlook from June for the fiscal 2020-21.