Copenhagen: Denmark ‘s postal service, PostNord, will stop delivering letters by late 2025 due to a sharp decline in mail volume.
Letter deliveries have dropped 90% since 2000, making traditional postal services financially unviable.
The decision ends 400 years of Denmark’s universal letter delivery system, which officially ended in 2023.
Public postboxes will start disappearing from June, marking a major transition in the nation’s postal system.
Despite this, Danes can still send and receive letters through alternative providers.
Government Response
Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen assured the public that letter services would remain available through other companies.
One private firm has already expressed interest in taking over the delivery of physical mail.
Authorities recognize that the shift will impact certain groups, especially elderly citizens and remote communities.
Denmark is not alone in this struggle, as European postal services are adapting to digital communication.
Germany’s Deutsche Post announced 8,000 job cuts due to declining letter volumes.
Impact on Jobs
PostNord Denmark will lay off around 1,500 employees, nearly a third of its 4,600-strong workforce.
Deutsche Post, which has 187,000 employees, also anticipates further job reductions in the coming years.
Unions in Germany fear that the downsizing may continue beyond the initial 8,000 job losses.
PostNord aims to shift its operations toward parcel deliveries, adapting to growing e-commerce trends.
As letter volumes fall, postal workers across Europe are facing job uncertainty and restructuring.
Declining Demand
Denmark’s postal service handled 1.4 billion letters in 2000 but only 110 million last year.
The rise of digital communication has made traditional mail nearly obsolete across the country.
Government agencies now send official documents via the Digital Post app or similar platforms.
Only 5% of Danes still rely on physical letters for receiving official communications.
Among them, 271,000 citizens—mostly elderly—will be most affected by the postal shift.
Privatization Debate
Danish MP Pelle Dragsted criticized the decision, blaming privatization for weakening postal services.
He argued that cutting letter deliveries would harm rural and elderly populations the most.
Dragsted believes that essential services should not be driven purely by profitability concerns.
However, PostNord insists that continuing letter deliveries is no longer financially viable.
The company remains committed to parcel logistics, where demand continues to grow.
Future Plans
Customers who purchased postage stamps in 2023 or 2024 can seek refunds in 2026.
PostNord CEO Kim Pedersen said Danish society is increasingly digital, reducing the need for physical mail.
Letter volumes fell 30% in the last year alone, accelerating the company’s decision.
PostNord will now focus on package deliveries, responding to the rise of online shopping.
The company operates in Sweden as well and is jointly owned by Denmark (40%) and Sweden (60%).
Europe’s Postal Shift
Germany, like Denmark, is restructuring its postal services due to declining mail demand.
Other European countries are also reducing traditional letter services in response to digital advancements.
With fewer letters being sent, many postal firms are shifting to parcel deliveries instead.
Governments and private companies are seeking ways to balance service availability and financial sustainability.
The future of letter deliveries in Europe remains uncertain as digital communication continues to expand.
