Denmark's postal service delivers final letter, ending 4-century tradition

By Melike Pala

BRUSSELS (AA) - Denmark's state-owned postal operator on Tuesday delivered its last letter, ending a 401-year-long tradition of public mail distribution in the country, broadcaster DR reported.

PostNord will now focus exclusively on parcel delivery, citing a sharp decline in letter volumes due to digitization and changing communication habits.

"Today marks a historic turning point in PostNord's history," said Kim Pedersen, the service’s CEO. "We are ending letter distribution after centuries, but we are opening a new chapter where Danes need us most: in e-commerce, where parcels now outnumber letters."

The move reflects a broader societal shift toward digital solutions such as mobile payments which have significantly reduced the demand for physical mail.

After PostNord’s withdrawal, private company Dao will take over most letter deliveries, with CEO Hans Peter Nissen projecting around 80 million letters in 2026.