Deutsche Post Plans Miniature Post Offices

Germany privatized national postal carrier, Deutsche Post, on Monday announced plans to test postal offices with highly limited service in rural areas to deal with the loss of its monopoly for letters in 2007. Company officials said they plan to open 300 small post offices that would be incorporated in existing retail stores. People will only be able to buy stamps and drop off letters and parcels, but won't be able to get help with registered mail and express packages, for example. Post officials said that these smaller service offerings would help to keep post offices in remote areas and stick to the current number of 12,500 German post offices.