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Stamps are set to go digital with a new ‘barcode’ feature, the Royal Mail has announced.
Barcodes are being added to stamps, which will allow recipients of letters to watch videos or read messages composed by the sender.
They could be greetings or birthday wishes.
The move comes following a successful trial by Royal Mail bosses, who have hailed a ‘new era for stamps’ and praised the greater security benefits.
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.”
Unique barcodes are being added to all regular so-called ‘definitive’ stamps and Christmas stamps, MEN reports.
Definitive stamps are the stamps most familiar to people – they feature a profile of the Queen.
Non-barcoded stamps will be phased out, but remain usable until the end of January next year.
Customers will be able to exchange their traditional barcodes for the new version for free.
The Royal Mail said each barcoded stamp would have a digital ‘twin’, with the two being connected via the Royal Mail App.
Customers can scan the barcodes in the app and will eventually be able to watch videos, information about services, or even birthday messages and other greetings from senders.
At the moment, a video featuring Shaun the Sheep, created exclusively for Royal Mail by animation studio Aardman, can be viewed.
Special issue stamps – printed as a one-off to commemorate a person, event or celebration – will not be barcoded, the Royal Mail added.
Non-barcoded stamps can be used as postage up until January 31, 2023, with a free ‘swap’ scheme set to launch for exchanges.
The Royal Mail has confirmed that no personal data will be held in the stamp barcodes.
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