The Dutch market regulator ACM has given PostNL permission to increase the rates of universal postal services, including regular mail, parcels and registered letters. This means the cost of postal services in the Netherlands could increase by more than 8 percent from 2025.

Higher rates for postal services in the Netherlands

For each service offered by PostNL, the distribution company charges a different rate. Currently, sending a parcel costs a minimum of 4,25 euros and sending registered mail costs at least 9,80 euros. The maximum weighted average of the current rates is 2,69 euros.

From next year, the ACM will allow PostNL to increase the maximum by more than 8 percent to 2,91 euros. The organisation is allowing this increase as it expects less mail to be sent next year, while PostNL could face higher costs such as rising salaries.

PostNL increasing costs and reducing deliveries

While increasing the cost of postal services is on the table, PostNL has also announced previously that it wants to change Dutch mail regulations so that deliveries can take place within three days instead of within 24 hours. If both these changes are enforced, people living and working in the Netherlands could pay more for mail that they get less regularly.

Whether PostNL will actually increase their rates is still unclear as they have just been given the go-ahead. However, the Dutch postal service did increase the price of a stamp from 1,09 euros to 1,14 euros from July 2024.

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