TNT Post will increase rates for sending mail within the Netherlands and to destinations withinEurope with effect from 1 January 2011.
The basic domestic mail rate for the Netherlands will increase by two euro cents to €0.46. Toother European destinations, the basic rate will increase by two cents to €0.79. The rate for mailbeing sent outside Europe will remain at the present basic price of €0.95.
TNT Post justified the increase as being necessary due to volume and cost developments. The lastrate increase was in January 2007 and the company made clear at the time that there would be nofurther increase until 2010. This change thus continues the moderate postage rate policy, itsaid.
The company also pointed out that the price increase falls within the legal limits for pricedevelopments and is lower than the rate of inflation in the period since the start of 2007.
TNT Post stressed that it continues to charge one of the lowest postage rates in Europe evenwith the new rates. According to a March 2010 comparison, the Dutch standard domestic rate of €0.44was below the European average of €0.51 and cheaper than nearby countries such as Germany, Belgium,France and the UK.
In June this year, TNT Post simplified its postage with the introduction of a new line of stampsthat use numbers, instead of value indicators, in combination with the Dutch words for TheNetherlands (numbers “1” and “2”), Europe (“1”) and The World (“1”). These non-denominated stampseliminate the need for using low-value stamps to top up the postage value when rates increase.Postage stamps bearing the value-indicator €0.44 can still be used for domestic mail after theprice increase, as long as this is topped up using a two-cent stamp.
