Tag: UK

Royal Mail has angered the direct marketing industry by asking postal regulator Postcomm to consider a proposal to price mail by size rather than weight.

Royal Mail claims that the method is an easier pricing system that more accurately reflects the costs of handling mail because it is the size and shape, not the weight, which determines the cost of processing and delivering most mail.

Many direct marketing companies believe that the proposals will be a handicap to the industry. A common claim is that the proposed charging system will stifle creativity, forcing the industry to move towards standard small packaging.

Royal Mail, under fire for scrapping its mail trains, has said it would reduce the number of air services it uses in the latest stage of a £90m cost-cutting programme.

The state-owned company now uses 39 flights each week night, from 24 airports, to distribute 6.6 or 5.5m, of the 82m letters it delivers each day.

Under its new “hub-and-spoke” network, Royal Mail now intends switching from turboprop aircraft to bigger jets capable of carrying containerised mail.