An Post has announced that the price of a stamp will increase by 25 cent to €1.65 later this month.
It said the rise takes account of wage increases for postal staff, increased operating costs, and a continuing fall in the volume of letters being posted.
Letter volumes have fallen by 8% in the last year, 40% since 2017, and by half in the past decade, according to An Post.
Its figures state that 93% of letters are now generated by businesses or Government bodies, with just 7% comprising personal cards and letters.
The company said the new price – which comes into effect on 27 February for personal customers and 1 March for business users – is in line with global trends and is lower than many other EU countries and the UK benchmark price of €1.88 for a next-day letter service.
It also noted that in Denmark, where the volume of letters has declined by 85% since 2008 the price of a stamp is €5.23.
The cost of stamps for international letters is also increasing – from €2.20 to €2.65. The rates for large envelopes, packets and parcels to international destinations will also rise.
Under the changes, a digital stamp will rise by 22 cent to €2.22.
However, nursing and care homes will continue to receive post for free for the remainder of 2025 and there will still be stamp discounts for SMEs.
Since the beginning of 2023, An Post has now increased the price of a stamp on three occasions.
Commenting on the increase, An Post CEO David McRedmond said: “We’ve worked hard to get the economics right on price for postage by introducing smarter work practices and reducing costs to keep our prices below the European benchmark average, and below the UK.
“An Post remains entirely self-financed (having repaid a government loan in full in 2024).
“While we manage the decline in postal, An Post is also investing heavily in the parcel and eCommerce business which is growing rapidly.”
Any existing stamps with ‘N’ (national) and ‘W’ (worldwide) or specific euro denominations remain valid and are fully useable after 27 February.
Article Source – An Post to raise price of domestic stamp by 25c to €1.65 – RTE
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