Denmark’s postal landscape is about to undergo a seismic shift. After more than four centuries of delivering letters, the nation’s state-run postal service, PostNord, will deliver its final letter on December 30, 2025. This decision, which marks the end of a 400-year tradition dating back to 1624, is a direct response to the overwhelming digitalisation of Danish society and a staggering 90% decline in letter volumes over the past 25 years, according to The Guardian and several other outlets.
PostNord, the company at the heart of this transformation, was itself born from a merger in 2009 between the Swedish and Danish postal services. For years, it has been grappling with the realities of a digital age, where emails, instant messages, and digital government communications have all but replaced the humble letter. As Kim Pedersen, Deputy CEO of PostNord Denmark, put it, “We have been Denmark’s postal service for 400 years, and therefore it is a difficult decision to tie the knot with this part of our history. Danes are becoming increasingly digital, which means that very few letters remain today, and the decline continues so significantly that the letter market is no longer profitable.” (The Guardian)
The numbers tell the story. Over the last quarter-century, the volume of physical mail in Denmark has plummeted by more than 90%. Official communications from the state are now sent almost exclusively through the national digital post system, which is linked to the MitID digital ID—an online identity used for everything from banking to booking doctor’s appointments. Today, 97% of Danes aged 15 and over are enrolled in MitID, and just 5% have opted out of digital post, according to The Guardian.
The effects of this shift have been dramatic. PostNord announced earlier in 2025 that it would cut 1,500 jobs in Denmark and remove about 1,500 of its iconic red postboxes. The postboxes, which have dotted Danish streets for generations, were put up for sale earlier this month and, in a sign of their sentimental value, about 1,000 were snapped up within three hours. Those in good condition fetched £235 each, while the more worn examples sold for £176. Another 200 are set to be auctioned in January 2026 (The Guardian).
If you’re wondering whether this means the end of letter-sending in Denmark, the answer is no—but it’s going to look a lot different. Danish law mandates that citizens must always have the option to send letters. To comply, the private delivery company Dao is stepping in to expand its letter delivery service. Dao, which already operates in the letter business, plans to ramp up its operations from delivering about 30 million letters in 2025 to a projected 80 million in 2026. However, sending a letter will now require a trip to a Dao shop, or an extra fee for home collection, and postage will need to be paid online or via an app (The Guardian; UNN).
For those with unused Danish stamps, PostNord has announced it will offer refunds for a limited period—a small gesture, perhaps, but one that acknowledges the end of an era. Meanwhile, PostNord will continue its letter delivery services in Sweden, where the decline in letter volumes hasn’t been as precipitous (The Guardian).
While some might see this change as a mere formality, there are those who view it as a moment of genuine loss. Magnus Restofte, director of the Enigma postal, telecommunications, and communications museum in Copenhagen, said, “It’s actually quite difficult to turn back [to physical post]. We can’t go back to what it was. Also, take into consideration we are one of the most digitalised countries in the world.” (The Guardian) Restofte noted that the scarcity of physical letters has only increased their value: “The funny thing is that actually receiving a physical letter, the value of that is extremely high. People know if you write a physical letter and write by hand you have spent time and also spent money.”
Interestingly, there’s evidence of a resurgence in letter-writing among Denmark’s younger population. Dao’s research, cited by trend researcher Mads Arlien-Søborg, found that people aged 18 to 34 send two to three times as many letters as other age groups. Arlien-Søborg suggests this is a response to “digital oversaturation,” with young people seeking a more tangible and meaningful way to connect. “Letter-writing,” he says, “has become a conscious choice.” (The Guardian)
Still, for most Danes, the end of state-run letter delivery is more symbolic than practical. A source close to the transport ministry told The Guardian that there would not be any “practical difference” in the new year, since people would still be able to send and receive letters—just through a different company. Only a small minority of Danes still receive physical mail, with the vast majority having fully embraced digital communication.
It’s hard to overstate the historical weight of this moment. Letter delivery by a national postal service has been a Danish institution since 1624, surviving wars, technological revolutions, and massive societal change. The red postboxes, the familiar thud of mail through the slot, the anticipation of a letter from a loved one—these are all woven into the country’s collective memory. And yet, as Denmark positions itself at the forefront of digital society, the end of this tradition seems, in many ways, inevitable.
For those who lament the change, it’s worth remembering that the law ensures the right to send a letter will not vanish. If Dao ever ceases letter delivery, the government would be legally bound to appoint another operator to keep the option alive. It’s a nod to the enduring importance of communication—even as the means of connection change beyond recognition.
So, as December 30 approaches and the last official letter is slipped into a postbox, Denmark bids farewell not just to a service, but to a chapter in its national story. The world may be moving faster and communicating more instantly, but the echo of 400 years of correspondence will linger, a reminder that even in a digital age, some traditions are hard to let go.
