Royal Mail 'is keeping secret way of avoiding junk post'

The Royal Mail is failing to give customers sufficient information on how to avoid receiving its junk mail deliveries, a consumer watchdog said yesterday.

The accusation follows the suspension of Roger Annies, a postman who told people on his round how they could stop receiving unsolicited letters and fliers.

advertisement”It should not be difficult for customers to opt out,” a spokesman for Postwatch said. “They have the choice. At the moment it is a little prohibitive.”

Royal Mail makes large profits from delivering fliers and letters addressed to “The Householder” or “The Occupier” and, although it says it offers all customers the opportunity to choose not to receive such mailshots, which are known as Door to Door items, the service is not publicised.

Mr Annies, from Barry, south Wales, put leaflets through his customers’ doors with information about opting out, including a slip that could be filled in and sent to the sorting office.

He was suspended on full pay after the local office received 70 slips. Royal Mail said it would not comment on individual cases.

Postwatch said that the Door to Door opt-out service had changed its address several times and that customers still had to write a letter to make sure that their wishes were carried out, even after they had called a special number.

The service is also not advertised anywhere and no details could be found during a search of the company’s website.

Royal Mail said that the business mail sent through the Door to Door system was vital for the group’s ability to compete with its rivals.

“We are proud to offer an opt-out service,” a spokesman said.

However, he acknowledged that the address to write to had changed twice and that it had not been publicised on the Royal Mail website.

“That will be rectified in the next 24 hours,” he said.

The spokesman added that anyone who rang the customer care number on 08457 740740 would be given information on how to apply for the service, although he accepted that that had not been publicised either.

“We don’t publicise all of our services,” he said. “We have so many of them.”

Customers who want to opt out of receiving unaddressed material from Royal Mail can either ring the number above, go to email [email protected], or write to: Door to Door Opt Out, Royal Mail, Kingsmead House, Oxpens Road, Oxford, OX1 1RX.

Those who wish to avoid receiving addressed junk mail can contact the Mail Preference Service by calling 0845 703 4599.

Registration for this service can also be carried out online on www.mpsonline.org.uk