Royal Mail to convert 1,400 postboxes to fit parcels

Royal Mail is introducing the UK’s first ever parcel postboxes in locations across the country, over a six month period from August this year.

This follows a successful trial in 2018, and 1,400 parcel postboxes will be rolled out in total in locations including Birmingham, Leeds, Aberdeen and Cardiff.

The parcel postboxes enable small businesses and marketplace sellers to post pre-paid parcels in the same way that they currently post letters. They will also allow customers to post some barcoded returns parcels back at any time, seven days a week.

Royal Mail will convert existing meter boxes which have a wider aperture and secure design, making the posting of larger prepaid items both safe and convenient.

Mark Street, Head of Campaigns at Royal Mail, said: “The wide scale introduction of parcel postboxes is one of the many ways we at Royal Mail are looking to make the lives of our customers easier. The parcel postboxes trial last year was a success, and we hope that the wider roll-out gives added flexibility to online sellers who might be running a business in their spare time and not keeping regular office hours.”

The launch marks the first major change in use for the UK postbox in the last 160 years. The first ever UK postboxes were trialled in Jersey in 1852. They were subsequently introduced across the UK in 1853 by Anthony Trollope, the novelist and senior GPO executive.