Denmark’s state-run postal service, PostNord, has announced it will terminate all letter deliveries by the end of 2025, bringing an end to a 400-year tradition.

The decision comes as letter volumes have crashed by 90% since 2000, driven by the country’s rapid shift to digital communication. 

PostNord, co-owned by Denmark and Sweden, says the move will allow it to focus solely on parcel deliveries, a growing sector, as traditional mail becomes unprofitable. Starting in June, Denmark’s 1,500 post boxes will begin to vanish from streets, signaling a major change for a nation once reliant on physical mail. 

Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen reassured citizens, saying, “There is a free market for both letters and parcels,” pointing to private companies expected to fill the gap. However, concerns are mounting for the roughly 271,000 Danes—many of them elderly—who still depend on letters for critical services like hospital appointments and government notices. 

Marlene Rishøj Cordes from DaneAge, a senior citizens’ advocacy group, warned, “There are many who are very dependent on letters being delivered regularly. This change could create significant challenges for them.” 

Denmark, a global leader in digitalization, has seen letter volumes plummet from 1.4 billion at the century’s start to just 110 million last year. Most correspondence, from bank statements to bills, now flows through digital platforms like the Digital Post app. But the transition comes at a cost: 1,500 of PostNord’s 4,600 employees will lose their jobs. Worker Anders Raun Mikkelsen called it “a super sad day” for those facing an uncertain future. 

The postal service has been bleeding money for years, and recent changes haven’t helped. A new Postal Act in 2024 opened the market to private competition, scrapped VAT exemptions, and hiked postage to 29 Danish krone—about $4.20—per letter. “When a letter costs 29 Danish krone, there will be fewer letters,” said PostNord Denmark’s Managing Director, Kim Pedersen, noting a 30% drop in volume over the past year alone. 

This shift mirrors a wider European trend. Just this week, Germany’s Deutsche Post announced 8,000 job cuts to cope with similar pressures. In Denmark, PostNord is offering refunds in 2026 for stamps bought in 2023 and 2024, but that’s little comfort to critics who say rural areas and seniors will be left behind. Supporters, however, argue it’s a necessary step in a digital world. 

As Denmark prepares to go fully digital, the end of letter deliveries marks both a historic milestone and a stark divide between progress and tradition. (ILKHA)