Related Articles
Royal Mail has announced that postage stamps are being brought into the digital world with barcodes, transforming the 180 year old means of sending letters.
The change will allow people to scan the stamps which will redirect them to videos, greetings from senders etc. The first of these will be a redirect to a Shaun the Sheep animation.
The change does mean that all existing stamps will need to be use by January 2023 or swapped for new ones. Non-coded stamps – including Christmas stamps – will now only be valid until January next year.
However, they can be exchanged for the new ones through Royal Mail’s Swap Out scheme, which opens on 31 March.
The codes will be available on so-called “definitive” stamps – the everyday stamps featuring the profile of the Queen.
The idea is that people will be able choose which video the recipient sees when they get their mail.
Nick Landon, Royal Mail Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Introducing unique barcodes on our postage stamps allows us to connect the physical letter with the digital world and opens up the possibilities for a range of new innovative services in future.”
Analysts Mintel said people had been using QR codes extensively during the pandemic, most notably with the NHS Track and Trace app, while the number of over-65s with smart phones was rising quickly.
Thomas Slide, director of media and technology research at Mintel, said: “In an increasingly digital world, a physical letter can really stand out, but enabling that letter to link seamlessly to a digital message will offer the best of both worlds.”
The change announced by Royal Mail is exciting, stamps with digital barcodes enabling a whole new way of sending messages, greetings and news.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
