UK Royal Mail lets customers print stamps at home – report

Customers of the Royal Mail postal service will be able to pay for their postage online and print out unique bar codes directly onto envelopes from today, The Times reported.

The newspaper reported that the Royal Mail says the move is one of the most significant changes to the postal system since the Penny Black, the world’s first adhesive stamp, was introduced in 1840. The historic stamp was introduced to shift the cost of postage to the sender, instead of the recipient.

Customers will have to set up an online account and can then pay for postage using either a credit card or a prepaid account, selecting the appropriate amount for their letter or parcel.

The new service comes shortly after the Royal Mail introduced a new system for sending items, based on the size as well as the weight of the package.