Mail services by US Postal Service have seen a significant drop of 81%

The implementation of new U.S. customs regulations has significantly affected international mail traffic to the United States. According to the Universal Postal Union in Bern, there has been an 81% decrease in international mail traffic following these changes.

One of the key factors contributing to this decline is the abolition of duty-free status for imports valued under $800. This move has made shipping goods to the U.S. more expensive for service providers, and as a result, they have had to adjust their practices. As of Friday, service providers now have access to a program that allows them to calculate and pay the necessary duties for shipments to the U.S.

The increase in duty-free package deliveries in recent years, largely due to Chinese platforms like Temu and Shein, has also been a contributing factor. This rise in duty-free deliveries has raised concerns about large-scale smuggling of dangerous drugs in the U.S. President Donald Trump justified the new customs rules, in part, due to these concerns.

The decline in mail traffic is expected to continue, according to a spokesperson for the Universal Postal Union. In response to the new U.S. customs rules, 88 postal service providers worldwide have made changes to their shipping practices. Among them are DHL, which operates under the Deutsche Post brand, and various international postal operators like Deutsche Post and DHL Paket, who have temporarily ceased accepting commercial parcel and goods mail shipments from business customers to the USA starting August 22, 2025.

The Universal Postal Union is currently working on technical solutions to resume postal traffic with the U.S. It is hoped that these solutions will help to alleviate the impact of the new customs rules on international mail traffic and restore normal service in the future.