Mail Volume Through U.S. Postal Services Plummets by 81 Percent
The international postal services to the United States have experienced a significant decline following the introduction of new US customs regulations. According to data compiled by the Universal Postal Union in Bern, the volume of international postal traffic to the US has decreased by 81 percent since the abolition of the duty-free status for imports valued under $800 on August 29.
Several postal service providers worldwide have responded to these new customs rules by either partially or fully suspending or reducing their shipping services to the USA. Among them are Norway's Posten Bring, Sweden/Denmark's PostNord, Belgium's Bpost, Austria's Post, and DHL, a Bonn-based company and part of Deutsche Post. These service providers are expected to cease or suspend their parcel services by October 2025, the end of 2025, or September 2025, respectively.
Since the new regulations were enacted, service providers have had access to a program that allows them to calculate and pay the necessary duties for packages sent to the US. However, it is important to note that the Universal Postal Union has not been mentioned as a source for this information about the new program.
The Universal Postal Union is currently working on technical solutions to resume postal traffic with the US. Despite these efforts, the Union expects the decline in postal traffic to continue.
The increase in duty-free package deliveries, particularly from Chinese platforms like Temu and Shein, has been observed in recent years. This trend has raised concerns about large-scale smuggling of dangerous drugs, a concern that US President Donald Trump has used to justify the customs change.
It is worth noting that the decrease in international postal traffic to the US has resulted in a significant drop in its value as well. The exact figures are not available at the time of this report.
The disruptions in international postal traffic to the US have affected many businesses and individuals alike, and it remains to be seen how these changes will impact the future of international postal services. As of now, 88 postal service providers worldwide have reportedly suspended or partially suspended their services to the US.
