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Denmark Ends State Letter Delivery After 400 Years as PostNord Makes Final Round

Private carrier DAO now handles letters under a state subsidy reflecting Denmark’s digital shift.

Overview

  • DAO takes over collection, sorting and delivery, with letters dropped at store kiosks and couriered to domestic and international addresses, backed by 110 million Danish kroner in government support.
  • Denmark’s move tracks near-universal digital communications through MitID used by about 97% of people over 15, though roughly 270,000 residents remain outside the digital system and can still choose paper mail.
  • Letter volumes have fallen about 90% since 2000, and PostNord reported a 428 million kroner loss in 2024 after market-opening reforms reduced state subsidies.
  • PostNord is eliminating about 1,500 jobs and has removed roughly 1,500 red postboxes, with early charity auctions drawing heavy demand and prices of about $230–$300 each.
  • PostNord continues parcel delivery in Denmark and maintains letter services in Sweden, while DAO says it handled about 21 million letters in 2024 and expects nearly 50 million next year.