Everybody likes to get a package. In 2020, we'll send more than 100 billion of them—and that number could double by 2030. Who will deliver all those packages, and how? In this edition, The Next Normal explores what's ahead in last-mile parcel delivery.

In upcoming editions, The Next Normal will explore the future of grocery, college, video entertainment, and more.

Become future-ready. Get The Next Normal in your inbox every month.
Subscribe View all editions

More on the future of parcel delivery

Debate

Debate: Will delivery UAVs scale by 2030?
– Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, are a hot topic of debate. McKinsey asked two professionals close to... the issue to weigh in on whether they believe UAVs will gain traction and claim a significant share of urban deliveries by 2030.
Article

A new look at autonomous-vehicle infrastructure
– What infrastructure improvements will promote the growth of autonomous vehicles while simultaneously encouraging shared ridership?
Article

Air-mobility solutions: What they’ll need to take off
– Innovators are designing air taxis and delivery drones. But these won’t take flight unless stakeholders accelerate investment... in air-mobility infrastructure.
Article - McKinsey Quarterly

The road to seamless urban mobility
– Will the coming mobility revolution make urban traffic better, or worse?
Article

Distraction or disruption? Autonomous trucks gain ground in US logistics
– As logistics goes digital, profound changes are coming to industry structure, operations, and profits. In the first of a series,... we examine the impact of autonomous trucks.
Article

Commercial drones are here: The future of unmanned aerial systems
– Investment in unmanned aerial systems is soaring, but challenges remain. Here’s what stakeholders need to know about the... evolving landscape.
Report

Urban commercial transport and the future of mobility
– Commercial traffic clogs city streets, contributes to pollution, and drives up the cost of doing business. But there are many... ways to do better.
Report

How will same-day and on-demand delivery evolve in urban markets?
– Delivery start-ups have struck a chord with consumers. But brick-and-mortar retailers and parcel services could still compete... by playing to their strengths.

Latest editions of The Next Normal

Could this be a glimpse into life in the 2030s?

The future of video entertainment: Immersive, gamified, and diverse

The future of space: It’s getting crowded out there

View all editions