6 Mar 2019

NZ Post raises cost of sending a letter

2:11 pm on 6 March 2019

New Zealand Post is once again raising the cost of sending a letter as it fights to maintain a sustainable letters business.

Post shop in Johnsonville

New Zealand Post sends around 400 million mail items a year. Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller

From July, a standard letter will cost a $1.30 to send, an increase of 10 cents.

It follows a 20 cent price rise last year.

New Zealand Post last month confirmed to RNZ that it would be looking to increase prices as it looks to find ways to keep its mail business operating sustainably, with letter numbers falling away at a rapid rate.

General manager of mail Matt Geor said New Zealand Post still sent about 400 million mail items a year, but that New Zealand had one of the highest rates of decline in the world.

"We continue to work hard to keep the cost of posting mail as low as possible, by significantly reducing our network costs and making big changes to how we operate.

"However, with an annual decline of approximately 60 million mail items through our network, we also need to increase the price of postage."

For its bulk mail business customers, New Zealand Post said it would also introduce different prices for different zones.

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