PostNL is to stop leaving notes in letterboxes after failing to deliver a parcel from July 1, the company announced on Friday.

From then, customers will be informed by email or text message about how they can pick up their package, the company said.

PostNL said it is making the switch because writing the notes takes both time and 70,000 kilos of paper a year. The recipient is not at home around 9% of the time.

The company started the switch to email and text messages last year and will  now start a major campaign to inform customers about the changes.

The switch will not mean that parcels are no longer delivered to the neighbours, just the way of communicating where the package is, PostNL told DutchNews.nl.

A spokesman said the company is now investigating if specific agreements need to be made with business clients who may have a large number of elderly clients without email addresses.

However, by law, the company is required to leave a note if they do not know the email address, 06 phone number or PostNL account of the recipient, the spokesman said.