Farewell to paper mail in Denmark
From 2026, a definitive stop to paper mail. Red mailboxes will also disappear, while Switzerland remains more cautious
Denmark will be the first European country to completely suspend the delivery of paper letters: from January 1, 2026, PostNord will no longer deliver traditional mail, ending a practice that has lasted over 400 years.
The decision goes hand in hand with the removal of the 1,500 red mailboxes bearing the crown symbol, a historic part of Denmark’s urban landscape. The last date for sending letters will be December 18, 2025 (regular mail), with final delivery set for December 30, 2025. From the new year, any remaining letters will be handled by private operators, while PostNord will focus solely on parcels.
A digital nation
The decision to eliminate paper mail in Denmark from January 1, 2026, has been made possible by its advanced level of digitalization: 95% of citizens use the Digital Post platform for official communications such as fines, invoices, bills, and bank statements. The volume of paper letters has plummeted by 90% from 2000 to 2024 (from 1.4 billion to 110 million per year), with a further 30% drop in the last year alone, making the traditional network unsustainable. However, this transition has significant social and economic impacts: approximately 1,500 PostNord employees will lose their jobs, with only 700 being reassigned to the parcel sector, and there are strong concerns for the 270,000 citizens, particularly the elderly and people with disabilities, who still rely on paper mail, especially in less digitalized rural areas.
Comparison with Switzerland
The situation in Switzerland is different, where the Post maintains letter delivery five days a week, despite a 60% decline since 2000. The Federal Council has already opened the possibility of reducing the frequency (e.g., to three days a week), but there is no talk of a complete abolition. Yellow mailboxes will also remain, albeit in reduced numbers and concentrated in high-traffic areas.
Denmark has chosen a radical model, betting entirely on digitalization and parcel logistics. Switzerland, on the other hand, takes a more cautious approach, seeking to balance technological innovation and social inclusion.
