Tag: UK

Snapshots UK Postal Services 2007

Posted by | Feb 1, 2008 | |

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c81390) has announced the addition of “Snapshots UK Postal Services 2007” to their offering.
Snapdatas “Snapshots UK Postal Services 2007” provides 2005 year-end market size data, with 2006 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the UK postal service market, and covers government-run postal services mails and parsels and counter services. It does not include courier services. Market value is based on revenues. Market volume is based on the quantity of mail handled. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots UK Postal Services 2007 forms part of Snapdatas Business Services industry coverage.
Snapshots Report Overview:
Executive Summary
The Executive Summary within a Snapshots report outlines the main findings of the report (market size, market shares and market forecasts)
Market size
Market size is the measure of the total value or volume of a particular product sold in a particular length of time. In our case it is the total amount of the market covered by a title in the last whole year, for example, in UK Beer 2005, all the beer consumed in the UK in 2004. The aim of the report is to tell how much of the product was consumed in the country discussed by value and by volume.
Market Segmentation
Market Segmentation is a segmentation of the market by key product categories, ideally by value and volume. For example: the yoghurt market can be segmented into: drinking yoghurt, flavoured yoghurt and natural yoghurt.
Market Share
Market Share is the share of each competitor in the market place and can be expressed in value or volume terms.
Market Share by Volume – each competitor’s share of the total Market Volume
Market Share by Value – each competitor’s share of the total Market Value
Distribution
This measure of the market relates to the different distribution channels to market for each product. The distribution can include the following channels
Consumer Goods example:
• Supermarket
• Hypermarket
• Discount Store
• Corner shop
• Internet
• Etc
Socio-Economic data
The key socio-economic indicators in each report will be:
Size of population
GDP – Gross Domestic Product
Inflation rate
Exchange rate
Forecasts
All market forecasts are based on statistical forecasting techniques based on historic performance (linear extrapolation of the market size, based on the five-year historical growth). These statistical tools are supplemented with qualitative parameters such as: industry expectation/opinion. Socio-economic drivers, new product development, technological advances, expected levels of market saturation etc.
Page 3 – Snapshots Executive Summary
Page 4 – Category Definitions
Page 5 – Market Size by Value (2002-2006)
Page 7 – Market Segmentation by Value
Page 8 – Market Shares by Volume
Page 9 – Company Details (Main Players)
Page 10 – Market Forecast by Value (2006-2011)
Page 11 – Socio-Economic Data for UK
Page 12 – Snapshots Sources for Further Research
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c81390

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Post Office launches pet insurance (UK)

Posted by | Feb 1, 2008 | |

The Post Office today announces the launch of its new pet insurance policy, designed to meet the real needs faced by cat and dog owners.

Despite the rising costs of veterinary bills, only one in five pet owners insures their pet, leaving millions of pet owners potentially exposed to huge bills.

The Post Office offers comprehensive cover to cat and dog owners that covers vet bills to a maximum of GBP 5,000 per condition. With the majority (96.5 per cent) of claims under GBP 5,000 pet owners therefore need not pay extra for higher cover limits.

Unlike 12-month policies, Post Office Pet Insurance does not stop paying out after a year, ensuring pets can be covered for long-term health conditions. And with no age limit, cats and dogs of all ages can be covered.

Post Office Head of Pet Insurance Emma Baunach said: “In line with the Post Office’s other financial products, our new pet insurance is easy to understand as it offers a single comprehensive level of cover. There is also no upper age limit, meaning older pets are not excluded. And a simple excess payment of GBP 75 makes it easier to plan and budget for any costs.”

In addition, the Post Office’s policy includes an added benefits package at no extra cost. This includes cover when taking pets abroad, emergency kennel and cattery costs and 12 months free PetBack Protect membership to the Missing Pets Bureau, which means the Post Office ensures that everything possible is done to find lost and stolen pets.

Owners with more than one pet can also enjoy a five per cent discount on the additional premium for other pets.

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Royal Mail raises prices for B2B and commercial (UK)

Posted by | Jan 31, 2008 | |

Financial constraints on printers will increase in 2008 as Royal Mail has announced price hikes for its business-to-business mailing.

However, according to postal price comparison website Post-Switch, the price increases are more likely to affect upstream mailing providers such as TNT and DHL.

From 7 April, Royal Mail will be increasing its Mailsort tariff rates. Mailsort two is going up by 1.5p per unit and Mailsort three is up 0.8p.

Commercial mail prices will also increase, with a first class mailer costing 36p, up from 34p, and the second class price increasing from 24p to 27p.

Jonathan DeCarteret, Senior Postal Analyst at Post-Switch, said: “What we are witnessing here is an attempt by Royal Mail to reduce the margin between its retail rates and the downstream access rates it charges competitors to access the final mile.

“Mail operators wishing to maintain a price advantage over Royal Mail are going to have to reduce their profits.”

Although a number of private operators have entered the UK postal market since it was opened up to full competition in February 2006, Royal Mail continues to dominate final mile delivery. Only 12 pct of the UK direct mail volume has switched from Royal Mail to downstream access, according to Post-Switch.

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EU bans postal monopolies from 2011

Posted by | Jan 31, 2008 | |

National monopolies for mail delivery in the European Union will be dismantled by 2011, with postal companies free to operate in any of the EU’s 27 countries – meaning the Royal Mail could face threats by European competitors on British soil.

Nine new EU countries plus Greece and Luxembourg will get the option of an additional two years to prepare for a full opening of the delivery of letters under 50 grams (1.75 ounces) – the last category where national postal companies face no rivals.

The plan was approved by the European Parliament last Thursday 31st January.

A universal public service ensuring every European gets at least one delivery and collection a day, five days a week will still be guaranteed and can be subsidized by governments if it loses money.

Postal services in the European Union handle an estimated 135 billion items a year, with an estimated turnover of 88 billion Euros (GBP 65billion) – around 1 per cent of the union’s gross domestic product. The sector employs more than 5 million people.

Full liberalization should lead to cheaper and more reliable mail deliveries, according to EU officials.

It could also force the Royal Mail to scramble to remain competitive against European services moving to Britain – and raises the possibility of a Royal Mail service operating on the continent.

An organization representing customers and competitors of the public postal operators across the EU called on the national regulators to prevent national monopolies from unfair tactics.

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Postal services: Commission welcomes the adoption of the EU Postal Directive

Posted by | Jan 31, 2008 | |

The European Parliament adopted the new Postal Directive last Thursday 31st January, giving its final political approval to EU postal reform. The vote confirms the broad political consensus on the way forward for opening EU postal markets to full competition. The Commission will assist Member States in implementing the new Directive and will take an active role in monitoring closely market developments to make sure that EU citizens and businesses obtain the benefits from high quality postal services foreseen by the Directive.
The Commission had adopted its proposal only 15 month ago. The text voted today by the European Parliament reflects the overall political agreement between the institutions and maintains the key elements of the Commission’s initial proposal, in particular: the accomplishment of the internal market of Community postal services via the abolition of the reserved area in all Member States; the confirmation of the scope and standard of universal service; reinforcement of consumers’ rights and upgrading of the role of national regulatory authorities; the offering of a list of measures Member States may take to safeguard and finance, where necessary, the universal service.

The final date for achieving full market opening is 31 December 2010, with the possibility for some Member States to postpone full market opening by two more years as a maximum and the inclusion of a temporary reciprocity clause applying to those Member States that make use of the latter transitional period. The new Directive is the final step in a long reform process that has already seen large areas of EU postal markets opened to competition, with very positive results.

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