PostNL makes postbox collection more efficient
Daytime collection from postboxes; collection after 5:00 pm at shopping centres and stations.
Starting in February 2025, PostNL will begin staggered collection from postboxes throughout the day. This approach is more efficient, reduces the number of kilometres driven, is more sustainable and saves costs – helping to maintain affordable postal services in the Netherlands. Postboxes located in busy areas, such as shopping centres and stations, will still be collected after 5:00 pm.
Every year, people in the Netherlands are sending less mail. On average, a Dutch person now sends only six letters and cards per year. As a result, the use of orange postboxes is declining, while the costs of providing postal services continue to rise. The affordability of the Dutch postal service in the Netherlands is under increasing pressure and is expected to become loss-making this year. Since political decisions on future-proofing the postal market have been postponed, PostNL is taking additional measures within the current legal framework.
Always close by
Maurice Unck, Director of Mail NL, explains the decision: "Maintaining a reliable and accessible postal network for everyone in the Netherlands remains a priority for us. Currently, mail from all postboxes is collected after 5:00 pm, requiring thousands of these to be emptied within a short timeframe – between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm. This calls for a significant number of vehicles, drivers and kilometres driven, making it costly, inefficient, and unsustainable. “By collecting from some postboxes during the day, we can streamline our processes. For both consumers and business customers, postboxes in busy locations will remain available for collection after 5:00 pm. “With this step, we’re making sure that postal services stay accessible and affordable for everyone in the Netherlands."
Adjustments to postbox collection times
The collection time is when PostNL empties an orange postbox and transports the mail to a sorting centre. Currently, all mailboxes are emptied between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Starting from February 2025, PostNL will collect from around 75% of postboxes during the day.
Postboxes that continue to be emptied after 5:00 pm will be located in easily accessible places that people frequently visit, such as shopping centres and stations. These postboxes can be identified by the collection time displayed on them and can be easily found using PostNL’s Location Finder. In smaller residential areas, where there’s often only one mailbox, collection times will remain unchanged.
No changes for mourning mail and medical mail
Mourning and medical mail will remain a priority for PostNL’s socially oriented service. Postboxes designated for mourning and medical mail will continue to be emptied every day after 5:00 pm, and also on Sundays – this remains unchanged. These postboxes will stay in their current locations, such as near hospitals, to ensure accessibility.