Postal charges for awkward packages

The Periodical Publishers Association has warned of a bleak outlook for the A3 weekly tabloid magazine market if the Royal Mail goes ahead with plans to charge more to deliver large or oddly shaped items.

The Royal Mail has tabled the idea as part of a consultation process with the magazine industry designed to help the postal service from haemorrhaging over £1m per day. It would mean a 30p 1st class surcharge on larger items.

“It’s a pretty radical proposal,” says the head of the PPA’s circulation unit Nicola Rowe. “Magazines are clearly not standard envelope size and the A3 weekly tabloids could be facing increases of over 100% if the proposals go through.

“For a lot of these titles it is not an option to fold them because of technical difficulties. Similarly, A4 magazines with inserts or covermounts may also be hit. In short, sized-based pricing does not suit the dynamics of magazine publishing and we have consistently spoken out against the idea.”