On Dec. 30, 2025, the Danish postal service delivered its final letter, bringing an end to a tradition that had lasted for more than four centuries.

The decision, announced earlier in the year by PostNord — the company created through the 2009 merger of Sweden’s and Denmark’s postal services — reflected the country’s rapid shift toward digital communication. As part of the wind-down of physical delivery in Denmark, PostNord eliminated some 1,500 jobs and began removing around 1,500 of the country’s iconic red mailboxes.

Though some may mourn the institution’s passing, the Danish government’s response is basic economics. The vast majority of communications in Denmark, as in most modern nations, are digital. The convenient, instant replacement caused demand for letter delivery to plummet 94% since 2000. 

“Most communication now arrives in our electronic mailboxes,” Andreas Brethvad, public affairs director for PostNord, told CNN, “and the reality today is that e-commerce and the parcel market far outweigh traditional mail.”

In other words, letter delivery was unnecessary. But Denmark is the only country in the world to axe its government-run letter delivery service — so far. This invites an important question: If shutting down government-run letter delivery is common sense, why are so few countries doing it? 

The answer can........

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