Only 85 billion rubles and the unprofitable "Russian Post" will become much "more attractive"

The state postal operator realized that its end is near, if it does not start to change and match the time. And now the Russian Post is asking for 85 billion budget rubles to create "centers of attraction". In them it will be possible not only to receive or send a parcel, but also to buy alcohol, medicines, change currency, collect credits and much more.

Thus, post offices will turn into hybrids of an alcohol market, an MFC, a bank, a pharmacy, a medical and educational institution.

It is already possible to buy food products in some branches of the Russian Post, but "Further — more!", the management assures. The company has developed a new development concept, the essence of which is to transform branches into "centers of attraction".

Here, in addition to traditional services, consumers will be able to receive educational and medical services, buy various goods, including alcohol, take certificates and draw up documents.

The reason for this expansion is quite simple — the decline in popularity of traditional mail services. According to experts, by 2023 the global volume of correspondence will fall by 1.5 times, and after a while — emails will completely replace paper ones.

At the same time, the employment of postmen is noticeably reduced. The only way out of the situation, as they are sure in the Russian Post, is to expand the functionality of some branches and their employees.

According to preliminary data, about 80% of all departments will fall under the transformation program into "Centers of Attraction". Most of them are located in cities and towns with a population of up to 20 thousand people.

In order to carry out a large-scale modernization, the post asks to allocate 85 billion rubles from the state budget, and also to change five categories of legislative acts at once, including the law on regulating the production and turnover of alcoholic beverages.

A source familiar with the discussion of the document said that so far no agency is ready to approve the proposals of the Russian Post. The Ministry of Finance refused to comment on the company's strategy somehow, but confirmed that they "got acquainted with the concept," the Ministry of Communications stated that "these proposals deserve attention, but require careful study."

Meanwhile, at the beginning of 2019, the General Director of the Russian Post, Nikolai Podguzov, bought an apartment worth a billion rubles. Information about this purchase of Moscow apartments with an area of 386 sq. m. was received by The Insider publishing house in the form of an extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate. Luxury housing is located in the Knightsbridge Private Park residential complex in the de luxe class quarter.

And what other innovations do you think will be able to keep the Russian Post afloat?