Related Articles
The firm is encouraging customers to use up their existing stamps but they will be able to swap any old ones with the new barcoded versions from March 31 via a Freepost address.
The announcement follows a successful national trial last year.
At the time, Mr Landon compared the change to the introduction of the Penny Black stamp in May 1840, noting that the company had a “long and proud history of creating innovative and intuitive postal solutions”.
The initiative was described as part of Royal Mail’s modernisation drive to boost convenience and reflected the rise of internet shopping.
But the move might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
The Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society wrote on Twitter: “Is it irony that when I write letters I don’t really want to be reminded of the digital world?”
Traditionalists can take comfort from the fact that there are “absolutely no plans” to phase out the famed stamp featuring the head of the monarch.
The new stamps will still be available in books and will remain at the same price.
The development comes at a turbulent time for Royal Mail, which could be fined millions of pounds by Ofcom over long delays faced by customers.
Letter and parcel deliveries have been subject to unprecedented delays as the organisation struggles with staff absence, demand for Covid tests and a deluge of Christmas returns.
Deliveries that should take between one and two days are not arriving for weeks, with delays over one week reported in 80 postcodes in January. The company has blamed staff absences.
Shadow minister Sarah Jones said she had written to Royal Mail asking it to “investigate the current state of affairs” following numerous complaints from constituents.
Source link
