PostNL is raising the price of a standard stamp in the Netherlands by 10 cents to €1.31 from 1 July – the biggest increase since 2014.

The company says postal delivery now costs more than it brings in, prompting the rise. The price of a single international stamp will also go up, from €1.90 to €2, and parcel delivery fees are set to increase as well.

“We realise that no one wants to spend more money, but the new fees are unavoidable,” said Maurice Unck, head of PostNL’s postal division. “On average, a Dutch household sends six letters a year, so this means 60 cents. And this is a vital step to keep postal delivery available and affordable for everyone.”

The company has asked the cabinet for financial support for the letter post service, saying it has done all it can to absorb cost increases within the current regulations.

In February, PostNL announced that post boxes will now be emptied throughout the day instead of in the evening, and the number of post boxes has been cut from 23,000 to 10,000.

The company also wants to reduce the number of days it is legally required to deliver post but this was rejected by parliament last year.