Denmark’s postal service to cease delivering letters

Denmark’s state-run postal service, PostNord, is to finish all letter deliveries on the finish of 2025, citing a 90% decline in letter volumes for the reason that begin of the century.

The choice brings to an finish 400 years of the corporate’s letter service. Denmark’s 1,500 postboxes will begin to disappear from the beginning of June.

Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen sought to reassure Danes, saying letters might nonetheless be despatched and obtained throughout the nation. One firm mentioned it was ready to take over deliveries.

Postal providers throughout Europe are grappling with the decline in letter volumes. Germany’s Deutsche Put up mentioned on Thursday it was axing 8,000 jobs, in what it referred to as a “socially accountable method”.

Deutsche Put up has 187,000 staff and workers representatives mentioned they feared extra cuts have been to come back.

Denmark had a common postal service for 400 years till the top of 2023, however as digital mail providers have taken maintain, using letters has fallen dramatically.

Public providers ship communications through a Digital Put up app or different platforms and PostNord Denmark says the letter market is not worthwhile.

Letter numbers have fallen for the reason that begin of the century from 1.4 billion to 110 million final 12 months.

The choice will have an effect on aged folks most. Though 95% of Danes use the Digital Put up service, a reported 271,000 folks nonetheless depend on bodily mail.

Danish MP Pelle Dragsted blamed privatisation for the transfer and complained the transfer would drawback folks residing in distant areas.

PostNord mentioned about 1,500 of its employees would lose their jobs, out of a workforce of 4,600.

The corporate mentioned it might change its focus to parcel deliveries and that any postage stamps purchased this 12 months or in 2024 could possibly be refunded for a restricted interval in 2026.

Chief govt Kim Pedersen mentioned Danes had turn into more and more digital and the decline in letter volumes had turn into so pronounced that it had fallen by as a lot as 30% prior to now 12 months alone.

PostNord additionally operates in Sweden. It’s 40% Danish-owned and 60% Swedish-owned.