Royal Mail announces big change to parcel delivery service

Royal Mail has announced a new redelivery process that will hopefully save customers time, and reduce carbon emissions. The postal company will automatically redeliver parcels that were initially missed the first time posties attempted to deliver them.

What was the service before? 

Customers receiving a small parcel via Royal Mail would usually get it delivered with their local post round. Larger parcels via Royal Mail are delivered separately to local post.

But if they were not at home to receive said parcel, they would be left with a ‘Something for you’ card and their parcel would be taken to the local depot, where it would be held until the next steps were taken.

Customers could then book redelivery online (to their address, to another address in the postcode area or to the local Post Office branch for free).

Customers could also select a more convenient date, safe place or neighbour for the parcel to be delivered on/to.

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The local postie would then come on the selected date and attempt to redeliver the parcel.

Or, the customer could keep the card, and visit the local depot the parcel was being held at to collect it themselves.

What are the new changes? 

1. First delivery attempt 

Customers receiving a small parcel via Royal Mail will still get it delivered with their local post round or parcel drop-off service. Larger parcels via Royal Mail will still be delivered separately.

If a customer is not home, and the parcel won’t fit through the letterbox, or it needs a signature, a ‘Something for you’ card informing them whether the item has been left with a neighbour or in a safe place. Or, from now, Royal Mail will inform the recipient of automatic redeliver for the parcel the next working day.

Customers can also choose to reschedule the redelivery for a more convenient day.

Why has Royal Mail made the new changes? 

Save customers time by not needing to visit a collection point.

Removes any need for carbon emissions as a result of the journey taken by car or public transport to collect the parcel.