When most people think of summer, they imagine holidays, beaches, and ice cream. But in logistics, summer brings a very different kind of heat. From staffing gaps due to vacations, to rising fuel costs, to the impact of high temperatures on sensitive cargo, logistics operations in July and August look quite different from the rest of the year. For companies managing deliveries across Europe, summer is less of a slowdown and more of a reshuffle.

Staff shortages hit all segments

One of the biggest summer challenges is staffing. In Europe, July and August are peak holiday months. In Germany, nearly 40% of workers take time off in August; in France, it’s closer to 60% in some regions. That includes drivers, warehouse staff, and customs officers. According to IRU data, the truck driver shortage across Europe was already at 7% in 2023 and expected to rise to 11% by 2025, and this strain is even more noticeable in the summer. For last-mile delivery companies, it means shifting resources, rerouting deliveries, or facing longer handover times at terminals.

Heat-sensitive cargo at higher risk

Temperature becomes a real issue in summer logistics. Pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, batteries, and electronics are all affected by heat, yet many smaller vans and last-mile vehicles don’t have active temperature control. A study from DHL noted that average temperatures in uncooled delivery vans can reach up to 50°C in the sun. This can affect shelf life, battery integrity, or even lead to regulatory non-compliance for temperature-sensitive goods. Some logistics providers add early-morning delivery windows or install passive cooling insulation as a temporary workaround.

Summer brings shifting demand

Consumer behavior also changes. While B2B volumes may dip slightly as factories shut down for annual maintenance, e-commerce orders often rise in July with summer sales and pre-back-to-school promotions. In Southern Europe, courier parcel volumes in July often rise 8–10% compared to the spring average. Meanwhile, seasonal goods like camping gear, fashion, air conditioners, and festival products spike. Logistics networks need to remain flexible – not just in volume handling but in route planning, especially in tourist-heavy regions where road congestion surges.

Planning ahead is the only constant

Whether you’re managing full truckloads across borders or same-day parcels in city centers, logistics in summer means dealing with unpredictability, staffing gaps, heat-related disruptions, and sudden demand spikes. The most resilient companies are the ones who plan around these variables early: securing temporary labor, rebalancing hub capacity, and adjusting delivery time windows. Because in logistics, summer isn’t a holiday – it’s a different kind of peak season.

Sources:

1. IRU (International Road Transport Union) –
   Driver shortage data across Europe
   → https://www.iru.org/resources/newsroom/driver-shortage-europe-2023
2. Statista – Paid vacation time by country
   Vacation trends in Germany, France, etc.
   → https://www.statista.com/statistics/685925/paid-vacation-days-europe-by-country/
3. DHL Trend Research –
   Impact of heat on delivery vehicles
   → https://www.dhl.com/global-en/home/insights-and-innovation/insights/logistics-trends.html
4. Eurostat – Road congestion and tourism impact
   Increased road usage during summer months in Southern Europe
   → https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/transport/data/database
5. PostEurop / IPC Cross-border E-commerce Reports –
   Seasonal parcel volume spikes
   → https://www.ipc.be