Portugal’s 6.2% Postal Hike Squeezes Households, SMEs and Newspapers

CTT – Correios de Portugal has applied a 6.2% average postage hike, a move that immediately raises the cost of sending letters – and may push the country’s already struggling print newspapers deeper into the red.

Why This Matters

• Stamp price now €0.73 for a 20-gram domestic letter, up 4 cents.

• Print publishers face +5.5% delivery costs, jeopardising regional titles that rely on postal distribution.

• No new government offset: Lisbon has yet to announce relief beyond existing, limited subsidies.

• Consumers and SMEs shipping invoices or small goods will see higher monthly outlays starting with the February billing cycle.

The Mechanics Behind the Increase

The new tariff grid, authorised by the Portugal communications regulator ANACOM and valid through 2028, is part of the so-called Convénio de Preços. CTT argues the rise is essential to cover inflationary pressure and a double-digit drop in mail volumes – a pattern that has persisted since 2008 and worsened during the pandemic.

How the Press Is Hit Hardest

While the overall average is 6.2%, the category most relevant to newspapers – Correio Editorial – climbs 5.5% for domestic periodicals and 5.7% for international copies. The Portuguese Press Association (API) warns that «these figures, once again above inflation, threaten the economic viability of dozens of local and regional papers». Publishers note that distribution already consumes up to 30% of their operating budget; the latest bump could force additional cover-price increases or even cut print frequencies.

A Decade of Repeated Rises

Inflation-beating postage hikes are not new. Since 2018, CTT has raised its basic letter rate by 46% – far outpacing the national consumer-price index over the same period. A quick retrospective:

• 2018: +4.5% average; stamp jumps to €0.53.

• 2020: New blue-mail rate introduced; revenue per item up 13.3% despite lower volumes.

• 2024: Current +6.2% round pushes the domestic stamp to €0.73.At the same time, total addressed mail fell from roughly 750 M items in 2017 to 563 M in 2022, according to ANACOM – a 25% slide that erodes economies of scale and feeds the upward-price spiral.

Government & Regulator: Hands Largely Off—for Now

Lisbon’s official line is that the universal postal service must be self-financing, meaning users shoulder the cost. Existing tools, such as the discounted “Pack Editorial” and the Acordo Editorial subsidy, remain in place, but API calls them «insufficient and outdated». Parliament’s media committee intends to hold hearings later this spring, yet insiders do not expect fresh money before the 2027 state budget debate.

What This Means for Residents

Price changes are modest for the occasional birthday card, but they add up:

• Households sending one stamped letter per week will spend roughly €2 extra per year.

• Micro-businesses mailing 100 invoices monthly face an annual hike of about €48, roughly the price of a mid-range office printer cartridge.

• Magazine subscribers could see renewal prices climb, as publishers decide whether to absorb or pass on the higher postage.If you rely on physical mail, consider pre-buying “selos para sempre” (forever stamps) or migrating routine bills to certified e-mail to lock in cost savings.

Possible Next Moves

Analysts expect two diverging trends. First, digital substitution will accelerate, reinforcing the postal operator’s volume decline. Second, CTT may lean harder on its booming parcel business to cross-subsidise letters. The next formal tariff review is pencilled in for January 2027; any relief for the press sector will need to be negotiated well before then.

For now, the reality on the ground is simple: sending anything on paper in Portugal just got pricier, and no quick fix is on the horizon for the journalists who still depend on the postman to reach their readers.