If you’ve gotten used to next-day delivery on your mail and packages, we might have some bad news for you.
PostNL, the mail and e-commerce giant based in the Netherlands, wants to start delivering mail less often. Why? Because they have a shortage of workers and fewer people are sending mail, reports the AD.
Herna Verhagen, CEO of PostNL, urges a change in postal laws so that mail can be delivered within two or three days of being sent rather than the usual one-day delivery rule, with the exception of urgent mail.
A steady decline
The amount of mail sent has been on the decline for the last 20 years, yet mail is still legally only allowed to take one day to be delivered. A general labour shortage has also made it difficult to fill vacancies and keep up operations.
As a result, letters are more frequently being delivered too late — and about one in five items arrived after the expected delivery time in 2023.
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So, Verhagen is calling on Dutch politicians to find a solution for these developments.
And it seems like there’s precedent to change the legally expected delivery time. Many European countries have less frequent post deliveries, and 79% of PostNL customers say they’re okay with receiving mail after only two or three days.
How often do you use PostNL? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!