Countdown to competition: UK businesses want choice

Postwatch, the watchdog for postal services, welcomes the survey findings published today by the industry regulator, Postcomm, showing that UK businesses want the introduction of full competition in the postal market.

Postcomm’s survey of business mailers reveals that 80 percent favour competition in the postal market, and that many would like to have seen competition introduced earlier than 1 January 2006. Greater customer choice, the potential to lower prices, and incentivising Royal Mail to improve performance were the main reasons given for favouring competition.

Commenting on the survey findings, Gregor McGregor, Chief Executive of Postwatch, said:

“Competition will put customers in the driving seat, ensuring that they can choose the service provider that is best suited to their needs. These findings confirm that businesses want competition in the UK postal market, and recognise the many benefits that ending Royal Mail’s monopoly will bring.

“The survey highlights that the challenge now is to ensure that all businesses are aware of the revolution taking place in the UK postal market, and that valued and needed parts of the postal service, for example the universal service obligation, will be preserved and strengthened by competition. With this information, businesses will then be able to take advantage of the opportunities that competition affords.”