The Danish postal service, PostNord, has announced that it will stop delivering letters by the end of this year due to a dramatic 90% drop in letter volume.
The company, which has been handling letter distribution in Denmark since 1624, will shift its focus to parcel delivery in response to the growing digitalization of communication.
PostNord stated that it would also cut 1,500 jobs and remove 1,500 red postboxes as part of the restructuring. The company aims to strengthen its position as Denmark’s preferred parcel provider. Despite these changes, PostNord emphasized that letter delivery in Sweden would remain unaffected.
Kim Pedersen, CEO of PostNord Denmark, explained, “In order for us to create a sustainable business, we need to adapt, and unfortunately this means a difficult decision to say goodbye to some of our colleagues.” He also acknowledged the emotional impact of ending the historic letter delivery service: “We have been the Danes’ postal service for 400 years, and therefore it is a difficult decision to tie a knot on that part of our history.”
The move comes after PostNord lost its nationwide delivery obligation last year due to market liberalization, which resulted in reduced financial support. However, the Danish government assured that it would still be possible to send and receive letters, with alternative providers like DAO set to strengthen their mail services.
PostNord’s shift mirrors a broader trend in Europe, where postal services are grappling with the effects of digital communication. In Germany, Deutsche Post announced plans to cut 8,000 jobs, while the UK’s Royal Mail faces proposals to cut letter deliveries to alternate weekdays.
