Denmark delivers last letter, becomes first country to end postal services

Paco Dennis

Paco Dennis

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Denmark has indeed made history as of December 30, 2025, by becoming the first country in the world to officially end its national universal letter delivery service. This marks the conclusion of a 401-year tradition that began in 1624 under King Christian IV.





The "vivid suppression" of physical mail in Denmark is a result of one of the most aggressive and successful state-led digitalization campaigns in the world.




1. The Death of the Physical Letter​

The scale of the decline is staggering and serves as the primary reason for the shutdown:

  • 90% Drop in Volume: In the year 2000, Denmark delivered 1.4 billion letters. By 2024, that number plummeted to just 110 million.

  • Unprofitability: The cost of a single stamp rose to 29 Danish kroner (about $4.25 USD) in an attempt to keep the service alive, but the high price only accelerated its demise.

  • The "Digital First" Mandate: The Danish government’s MitID system and Digital Post platform require almost all official communication—from hospital appointments to tax documents—to be handled electronically.

2. Physical Symbols Removed​

The transition has been physically visible across the country:

  • Removal of Iconic Red Postboxes: Since June 2025, PostNord has been removing all 1,500 red mailboxes from Danish streets.

  • Public Auction: In a symbolic "funeral" for the service, these mailboxes were auctioned for charity in December 2025, with some fetching over 2,000 kroner from nostalgic citizens.

  • Job Losses: Approximately 1,500 postal workers have been laid off as the national carrier, PostNord, pivots exclusively to parcel delivery for e-commerce.

3. What Happens Now?​

While the state-run universal service is gone, physical letters haven't been "banned," but they are no longer a public utility:

  • Private Delivery: A private company called DAO (Bladkompagniet) has taken over letter delivery.

  • The New Process: You can no longer drop a letter in a street box. You must go to a kiosk or shop, and in many cases, payment and labels must be handled via a digital app first.

  • The Legal Safeguard: Danish law still requires that some option to send a letter exists. If private companies fail, the government is obligated to step back in, though likely at a high cost to the sender.


The "Moral Memory" Connection​

This relates directly to your earlier questions about suppression and memory. By removing the physical infrastructure of mail (the boxes, the postmen, the affordable stamps), the habit of physical, private communication is being engineered out of society.

For the elderly or those who prefer "analog" privacy, this feels like a forced exclusion from the public square—a vivid example of how a society can "quietly set aside" a centuries-old human right in favor of digital efficiency.
 

I’m not sure that having a government run postal service can or should be considered a ‘human right’.

I’m a bit surprised that the government is obligated to support some form of delivery system if private companies fail.

It will be interesting to see if other countries follow or come up with some sort of creative solution.
 
It on't be long before it happens here Im sure.

Royal Mail have been running a shadow service for a few years now. Postage prices are an all time high .Posting a parceel or package is eye wateringly expensive..

...a single stamp is now... an astonishing £1.70 ..... approx $2.29 USD... for ONE stamp...my mother would be turning in her grave ..

The latest now, is that mail only gets delivered every 3rd day instead of every day....
 
Denmark will likely regret scrapping its physical mail service due to increased isolation for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, sick and disabled, who depend on letters for vital notifications like hospital appointments, despite digitalisation, and a potential loss of tangible connection and nostalgia for many, including younger people who find value in physical mail, potentially leaving a void even as e-commerce parcel demand surges and digital communication dominates.

Postal services provide a physical link to all residents, regardless of their access to the internet, digital literacy, or economic status. This
ensures equitable access to essential services like government documents, ballots, and medical supplies. Digital technology cannot facilitate the delivery of physical goods, products, and parcels, which is a critical function of the postal system in the age of e-commerce. Many critical documents such as legal, financial, and governmental require the security, verifiability, and non-repudiation of a physical, officially postmarked delivery.

The postal system is a major employer, providing millions of jobs globally in logistics, transport, and delivery, supporting local economies.
Physical mail systems often remain operational during power outages, cyberattacks, or natural disasters when digital communication networks fail. Physical mail and packages allow for personal, tangible connections through letters, gifts, and cards that a digital message cannot fully replicate. In essence, while digital technology excels at information transfer, the physical delivery network provided by the postal system remains a fundamental necessity for modern society and commerce.
 
I almost NEVER use the US Mail service. I do all my communications on the internet either at web sites or using Gmail. I have not sent a letter for many decades. Almost all letters I receive are simply JUNK mail. I even get all my bills on the internet.
 
I still use snail mail on several things. In some respects less and more secure at the same time. Small package delivery is keep the USPS going. Just like any other business they go through periods of bad management and employees. But there are still some that do the job well and are helpful.

I don't think the decline in use is all about tech. People don't have the attention span for a letters and are frequently already informed via phone, text or computer. Last century people still had to pay extra for long distance calls and would only talk to distant friends, relatives etc on occasion or as needed. Which ment longer letters via snail mail were needed/used more. Cheap long distance phone calls played as big a part in the letter's demise as much as other stuff.
 
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I have mixed feelings about mail, I like going down to my mailbox and finding stuff in it, but it is almost always junk mail. I could probably live without it, but every once in a while I'll write a card/letter so it would be weird to have to make a trip to a store and pay an amount that would be the same as a small package price (might as well send a present along with the card).
 
I still get a lot of snail mail, and most of it is NOT junk... here .. places like the bank, hospitals, doctors.. insurances, pensions, .. etc..all give us the option of having Online communications only...or email and Snail mail... and I always like to have a back up of snail mail when it comes to banks and hospital appointments etc...
 
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Adding to what @horseless carriage and @hollydolly wrote, if postal services are discontinued and contact can only be made via phone or computer, I believe it'll be a heyday for identity thieves and scammers.

Scam operations in Nigeria, China, Jamaica, Russia, etc., cannot access our physical mail, but they sure can hack our email addresses. From that and the constant stream of data breaches we read about, they'd get enough private information to destroy people's finances and lives.

I don't know how these things operate in Denmark, but I fear the Danish people will find this to be experiment that brings disastrous consequences.

"If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning." Catherine Aird.
 
StarSong said:
Adding to what @horseless carriage and @hollydolly wrote, if postal services are discontinued and contact can only be made via phone or computer, I believe it'll be a heyday for identity thieves and scammers.

Scam operations in Nigeria, China, Jamaica, Russia, etc., cannot access our physical mail, but they sure can hack our email addresses. From that and the constant stream of data breaches we read about, they'd get enough private information to destroy people's finances and lives.

I don't know how these things operate in Denmark, but I fear the Danish people will find this to be experiment that brings disastrous consequences.

"If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning." Catherine Aird.
Click to expand...
Agreed...absolutely... I'm sure the Danish Govt will come to rue this.....
 

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