DHL saw earnings before interest and taxes for its Supply Chain division decline to €53 million (£37.6 million) for the first quarter of 2015. 

This comes in spite of a 12.4 per cent rise in sales to €3.9 billion - and the group attributed this dip to the profit decline on planned, non-recurring costs for the supply chain optimisation programme.

For the Deutsche Post DHL Group as a whole, revenue grew by 8.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2015, compared with the prior-year quarter to €14.8 billion. Operating profit decreased by one per cent to €720 million.

Frank Appel, chief executive officer for the group, said: "We saw a moderate start to the year, as we expected. Our strategy, aimed at growth in e-commerce and the emerging markets, in particular, is progressing."