The Dutch postal service PostNL delivered fewer letters and parcels in the first six months of this year, mainly due to a slump in orders from websites based in Asia.
The number of packages from abroad declined by 15% compared to the first half of 2025, the company’s latest quarterly figures show.
PostNL’s domestic deliveries declined in volume by 4.2%, reflecting the fact that consumers placed fewer orders. The total number of letters and cards sent was down by 8%, continuing a long-term trend.
However, PostNL’s turnover in the first six months was almost identical – €1,589 million, €1 million less than in 2025 – as the average cost per delivery increased by 4%.
Three-day deliveries
The trend is likely to continue as PostNL began imposing a €3 surcharge for all packages sent from outside the EU from July 1.
PostNL is also likely to benefit from a change in the law ending its obligation to deliver post within 24 hours. PostNL’s maximum delivery window was extended to two days on July 12 and will become three days next year, allowing it to charge extra for next-day deliveries.
CEO Pim Berendsen said he was satisfied with the results, but PostNL still needed to push through major reforms such as three-day deliveries to secure its future.
“Thanks to the disciplined rollout of our new strategy, we have achieved robust results and seen a strong improvement in our cashflow. At the sale time, we see external challenges are on the rise.”
