Wed, 20 Aug 2025

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 Denmark's state postal service calls time on letter deliveries

PostNord blames sharply falling demand - will other post firms around the world follow suit?
Denmark's national postal service, PostNord, has announced plans to cease letter deliveries by the end of the year due to a significant decline in mail volumes. Over the past seven years, Herman Moyano, a mail delivery worker for PostNord, has noticed a steady decrease in the number of letters he handles, with most being bills and bank statements rather than personal correspondence. The steep drop in letter volumes is attributed largely to digitalization, which has made email and online communication more popular. According to PostNord's chief Kim Pedersen, Danes receive an average of one letter per month, down from around 1.4 billion letters handled by the company since 2000. As a result, PostNord plans to focus on its profitable parcel business, creating 700 new jobs and shedding 2,200 positions in its loss-making letter arm. The company will also remove 1,500 of its red post boxes from Danish streets. Private delivery firm DAO is set to step into the gap with its own nationwide service, but advocacy group DaneAge has expressed concerns that older people may struggle with the changes to letter deliveries, particularly those living in rural areas. The trend towards digital communication is not unique to Denmark, with Europe-wide mail volumes declining by 30% or more since their historical peak. According to postal sector expert Hazel King, the decision by PostNord reflects the shift away from physical mail and towards online services.
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