First blood to PPA in UK postal row

Magazine publishers have won a significant victory against the Royal Mail, after plans to double postage prices if titles were considered too stiff to fit through letterboxes were shelved this week. The win for the Periodical Publishers’ Association follows intense lobbying in recent months after the Royal Mail unveiled proposals to give frontline staff the option to impose extra charges determined by the flexibility of a magazine. Magazine bosses were concerned that plans would massively increase postage costs as large numbers of titles carry cover mounts and supplements.
However, the PPA is still locked in battle with the Royal Mail over plans to overhaul postal costs based on the flatness of a publication.

Brin Bucknor, managing director of VNU Business Publications and chairman of PPA’s postal committee, said: “We very much welcome the decision by Royal Mail not to pursue the concept of flexibility.

“However, we still have a number of serious concerns around the issue of uniformity, and are keen to understand from Royal Mail the rationale behind a proposal which would see significant price increases at such low tolerances.”

The PPA has begun talks with the Royal Mail to resolve the latest issue and hopes to reach a decision over the summer.