The Estonian competition authority has released its annual postal services report for 2024, indicating a significant decline in the total number of postal shipments, which fell by 8% compared to the previous year. This report is submitted to the Ministry of Rural Affairs and Agriculture in the second quarter each year, detailing developments and issues in the postal sector.

The decrease in shipments is attributed primarily to a reduction in periodicals, universal postal services, and licensed letter and parcel shipments. Despite this decline in volume, the overall revenue in the postal market increased by 2.6%, driven by growth in courier services and other postal services. The rise in revenue is linked to an increase in the volume of other services and higher prices for courier services.

In contrast, the revenue from universal postal services (UPT) saw a dramatic decline of 25.8% in 2024, with the volume of UPT also dropping by 24%. This trend highlights the shifting dynamics within the postal market, where traditional services are declining while alternative services are gaining traction.