Posti is simplifying its price list for cash-paid domestic letters. As of the end of August, letters will be divided into four weight classes (in grams) instead of the six classes used earlier. At the same time, changes will be made to letter postage fees: price increases in some weight classes and decreases in others.
- Stamps are increasingly bought in sales points other than Posti’s shops, such as grocery stores, kiosks or Posti’s online shop. A clearer price list is a benefit of the update, says Tuija Åkerman from Posti’s Consumer Mail Business Unit.
Letter postage fees increase in some weight classes, decrease in others
- The Finnish consumer spends, on average, less than EUR 20 per year on letter postage fees. In relation to this, the new prices entail an increase of just over one euro, i.e. less than one domestic stamp (EUR 1.60), per year, Tuija Åkerman explains.
The price of a domestic card or letter weighing no more than 50 g will be EUR 1.60 as of August 30, 2019 (EUR +0.10). The price of a Priority class international card or letter weighing no more than 20 g will be EUR 1.70 as of August 30, 2019 (EUR +0.10). In weight classes heavier than 500 g, the prices of domestic letters will decrease; for example, the price of a domestic letter in the heaviest weight class (1,001–2,000 g) will be EUR 9.60 as of August 30, 2019 (EUR -5.40). The price of Christmas greetings will increase to EUR 1.10 (EUR + 0.05).
All domestic and international no-value indicator stamps purchased before the price increase will be accepted without additional stamps after the change. Old 1st and 2nd class no-value indicator stamps can still be used. Their value corresponds to the domestic no-value indicator stamp and will be EUR 1.60 as of August 30.
As of August 30, 2019, all weight classes will be priced in multiples of the no-value indicator stamp’s price. In the lightest class (1-50 g), the postage fee of a letter or postcard equals one no-value indicator stamp; in the next new weight class (51-250 g), the fee equals two no-value indicator stamps; and in the third weight class (251-1,000 g) the fee equals four no-value indicator stamps. In the heaviest weight class (up to 2 kg), the letter postage fee equals six no-value indicator stamps.
Åkerman reminds us that the postage fee covers the costs of the delivery network, and price increases are required in order to secure Posti’s universal service throughout the country. Mail volumes have decreased by 50 percent over the past ten years due to digitalization. The fewer items carried by each deliverer on each round, the higher the delivery cost of each individual item.
On a normal delivery day, mail delivery covers a total of 320,000 kilometers in the whole country. At the same time, the amount of items to deliver keeps decreasing at an accelerating pace, thanks to the expansion of digital services.
The new fees of all Mail Services can be reviewed on Posti’s website at www.posti.fi. The changes will not affect the prices of Posti’s contract customers.
Stamps may be purchased at approximately 3,200 postal agency shops or via Posti’s online shop at www.posti.fi/goshopping
