Denmark's postal service will deliver its final letter on 30 December, bringing to a close more than 400 years of letter delivery in the country.
PostNord, created in 2009 through the merger of the Danish and Swedish postal services, announced earlier this year that it would stop handling letters in Denmark as demand had collapsed amid widespread digital adoption. The company said letter volumes have fallen sharply while parcel deliveries linked to online shopping continue to grow, making the letter business unprofitable. As part of the shift, PostNord plans to cut about 1,500 jobs in Denmark and remove roughly 1,500 red postboxes.
The transition has already sparked public interest. About 1,000 dismantled postboxes sold out within hours when offered earlier this month, with more set to be auctioned in January. PostNord said it will refund unused Danish stamps for a limited period, while continuing letter delivery operations in Sweden.
Letter delivery in Denmark will not disappear entirely. Private operator Dao will expand its services from January, increasing annual letter volumes significantly, though customers will need to post letters at Dao outlets or pay extra for home collection, with postage handled digitally.
The Danish postal service has operated since 1624, but letter use has dropped by more than 90% over the past 25 years. Despite the decline, research suggests younger people may be driving a modest revival. Dao said people aged 18 to 34 send significantly more letters than older groups, viewing handwritten mail as a deliberate break from constant digital communication.
Under Danish law, access to letter delivery must be maintained, meaning the government would be required to appoint an alternative provider if Dao were to withdraw. Officials have said the change will have no practical impact, arguing letters will still be sent and received, just through a different company.
Others see the move as symbolically final. Cultural experts noted that Denmark's heavy reliance on digital systems, including the MitID digital identity platform used by most residents, makes a return to widespread physical mail unlikely. While nearly all adults are enrolled in digital post, and few opt out, some argue that the rarity of physical letters has increased their emotional value.
PostNord's leadership acknowledged the historical weight of the decision, saying the steady and severe decline in letter volumes left no viable path to continue a service that once defined Danish communication.
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December 19, 2025 15:10 ET U.S. inflation data and interest rate decisions by major central banks were the highlights of this busy week for economics news flow. Employment data and survey results on the housing markets also gained attention in the U.S. In Europe, the European Central Bank and Bank of England announced their policy decisions and macroeconomic projections.