Itella to hike business mail rates by up to 10%

Finland’s businesses could find their postal rates going up by as much as 10% at the start of next year. Postal service Itella is planning on hiking its letter services between 3% and 10%, depending on the customer.

Addressed direct mail rates will rise by around 3%, as will non-addressed advertising materials.

Rates for addressed periodicals will generally increase by between 1% and 10%, depending on publication, with non-addressed publications seeing a 3-7% price rise.

Itella said the price increases will affect businesses only, not consumer postal services, and will apply from 1st January, 2013.

The company said the rate increases were being applied to take account of higher labour, material and transport costs.

As it increases its prices, Itella said it is also planning on streamlining its range of products, and will be launching a brand new service tailored towards the sending of small items.

Itella said its range of domestic addressed letter, direct mail and publication delivery services will be revised as of the New Year, with the number of service categories reduced by more than half.

The new service for small items, called Itella Pienlähetys (Itella Small Item) will offer a way to send “small but relatively heavy” items within Finland, such as books, DVDs, clothing, product samples and small gifts.

The service will take the form of packets that can be delivered through a household letterbox.