PostNL will increase the rates for sending mail from July. The price of a stamp will increase by 5 cents to 1.14 euros as of July 1. The last time the price went up was on January 1 this year. Then the price went from 1.01 to 1.09 euros.
The company reports this when presenting its quarterly results.
PostNL sees that people are sending fewer and fewer letters. For example, the volume of mail that the company processed in the first months of this year was more than 12 percent lower than in the same period in 2023. At the same time, PostNL is faced with rising costs.
‘Need an increase’
“This together puts enormous pressure on maintaining postal services,” explains Maurice Unck, Director of Mail at PostNL.
“We do not like having to confront consumers with this interim rate change. However, it is necessary because we still deliver the mail five days a week, but there is much less mail and the costs are increasing.”
Sending letters abroad is also becoming more expensive again. From July, a basic rate of 1.80 euros will apply instead of 1.75 euros. Furthermore, the price for sending a registered letter will increase by 1 euro.
Less delivery
PostNL has been suffering from the fact that Dutch people are sending fewer letters for some time. This is one of the reasons why the postal company argued in favor of amending the Postal Act when presenting its annual results. Instead of delivering letters five times a week, two to three times a week would better suit the needs of consumers, CEO Herna Verhagen said in February.
Verhagen said on Monday that a number of things have started since the call earlier this year. The necessary discussions have taken place. “With customers, unions, politicians, the ministry. But ultimately it is the Minister of Economic Affairs who must take the lead in this process,” said the top woman.
Drop in turnover
PostNL achieved a turnover of 765 million euros in the first quarter of this year, compared to 783 million euros in the same period a year earlier. The majority of these revenues came from processing packages.
In that segment, turnover fell, but volume grew. This was mainly due to the growth in the processing of international parcels, which yield less. The operating result was negative 9 million euros, compared to a positive result of 7 million euros a year earlier.
