Denmark's postal service company to end letter-carrying service after 400 years due to digitization

Physical letters have declined dramatically in volume over the last twenty five years, the company said, from almost 1.5 billion in the year 2000 to only 110 million in 2024, over a 90% decrease.

By Tzvi Jasper, Jerusalem Post, December 28, 2025

https://www.jpost.com/international/article-881535

AN UNDATED era street collection mail box from Denmark is seen in a display at the US National Postal Museum September 27, 2013, in Washington, DC.  (photo credit: PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty Images)

Denmark's primary postal service company, PostNord, will cease carrying letters on December 30, after 400 years of operation, citing the country's increased steps towards digitization. 

"Although this is a difficult decision, it is an important step towards a strong PostNord for the future," the company announced on its website. 

Physical letters have declined dramatically in volume over the last twenty five years, the company said, from almost 1.5 billion in the year 2000 to only 110 million in 2024, over a 90% decrease. 

The decline was caused in part by the ubiquity of digital means of receiving information from the government. Since 2014, all public sector communiques, including those from banks, insurance companies, and pension companies, must by law be sent digitally.

Leading up to the company's final letter, PostNord donated 1,200 of its iconic red mailboxes to be sold by Danmarks Indsamling, a charity organization.

DELIVERY CARS of Danish postal service PostNord at the company's distribution center in Broendby, Denmark, December 14, 2020. (credit: MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images)

One thousand of the mailboxes were made available on December 15, and, according to The Copenhagen Post, sold out almost immediately.

Another 200 will be made available in January 2026, coming from selected locations in Denmark or decorated by Danish artists.

PostNord's final letter to the public

As a symbolic final letter, PostNord prepared a video in which a letter from them to the Danish public was read out by Danish actress and narrator Ellen Hillingsø.

The letter will be put on display at ENIGMA, the Museum of Communication in Copenhagen.

PostNord has been run jointly by the Danish and Swedish governments since a merger took place in 2009, combining the separate Swedish and Danish postal service providers. 

The company plans to continue providing parcel delivery service, as well as maintaining its letter delivery service in Sweden.

How Denmark ending letter deliveries is a sign of the digital times | BBC News

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