UK Royal Mail prepares for the UK’s largest mail-out to explain new pricing system

Royal Mail is launching the UK’s largest ever mail-out to reach every UK address and provide customers with information on its new pricing system that will come into effect on 21 August 2006.

The nationwide door drop will explain how the cost of sending mail will soon take into account the size, thickness and weight of items and how to prepare for the changes. Previously mail has only been priced by weight.

The size guide leaflets will be delivered to UK addresses in the two weeks beginning from 31 July.

Royal Mail spokesperson David Dale explained: “We are making every possible effort to ensure all our customers are informed about the new pricing system.

“There are ways that people can ensure that they do not pay any more than they have to, for example by folding A4 letters in half to fit into C5 standard envelopes so that the postage is priced in the Letter category rather than as a Large Letter”.

The cost of sending items through the post will be based on the following three size formats:
• Letter e.g. standard birthday card (5mm maximum thickness)
• Large Letter e.g. the size of a monthly magazine, (25mm maximum thickness)
• Packet (anything larger than a Large Letter).

Royal Mail is rolling out a 10 million GBP marketing and advertising campaign to communicate the changes and ensure every consumer and business across the country is prepared for launch day on 21 August.

The communications programme includes extensive TV, radio and print advertising. The TV campaign has been on air from 10 July. The multi-media campaign has been designed to inform and remind customers of the changes.

Over 85 per cent of stamped mail will be the same price or cheaper to send. For example, the cost of posting a DVD in its case will decrease.

Savings are also available to UK businesses as nearly two-thirds of all business mail will be cheaper to send, with a further 20 per cent remaining the same price.

Customers can also find more information about the changes on www.royalmail.com/size by visiting their local Post Office®, or by calling the dedicated customer helpline on 08456 113 113.