Surprise new service and prices from 1 January 2026

Unexpectedly - and not announced to business users via the usual email or letter - Royal Mail have issued another 'Our Prices' leaflet from 5 January 2026. (Download it here.)

Strictly speaking there are no tariff changes, ie no prices have changed, but some services have changed including the elimination of 'International Signed".  Only International Tracked and Signed and International Tracked remain.

Summary

International Tracked and Signed is now for Documents only, and only up to 750g (ie no parcel rates).

International Tracked is for Goods, including gifts, and Documents may be sent but a Customs Declaration must be completed.  There is no (basic) letter rate; the cheapest option is for 100g Large Letters.

Printed Papers have been moved to a new section and include rates for International Tracked, International Standard (basic airmail) for which there is also no basic latter rate (minimum price for 250g is £8.95 to Europe), and ( listed in that order) International Tracked and Signed (again, no letter rates so minimum price £14.25) but including weight options for 1kg to 5kg.

I'm working from a pdf rather than hard copy, which makes comparison difficult, but I could almost believe there are copy & paste errors in this.  Why no Small Parcel rates for ITS unless they are printed papers?  Why no Large Letter rates for printed papers under 250g?

I'll leave this for readers to pursue safe in the knowledge that only the dealers and collector-sellers will be affected!

 

 

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Royal Mail muscling in on Post Office High Street business

Over the past few months we have seen he rapid expansion of Royal Mail parcel lockers and 'intelligent' post boxes.

The parcel lockers are being installed across the country, and many people have reported that their local postbox has been 'gift-wrapped in black plastic, prior to being converted to take parcels through a wider apperture. These also have solar panels on the top, would might make the siting of the attractive knitted box-toppers a thing of the past.

On our recent break I found examples of a topper in Louth (which I shall add to the 'slogan postmarks etc' post for October), but at Heath Road, Holmewood, five miles southeast of Chesterfield, I found not just a converted postbox but a new locker, about five metres from each other.

 

The locker was actually being installed when I pulled in to the layby to post a card. 

  

Job done, just have to close all these doors!

Just behind me when I took this photo was a recently converted postbox:

And to the left of that fast-food outlet you can see in the last picture, just a further 20 metres away, is a small post office.

Holmewood Post Office, Derbyshire

 

As recently as May this year, specialist property adviser Christie & Co reported the transfer of ownership:

Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co has announced the sale of Holmewood Post Office near Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

The business is a Mains post office which offers a variety of postal services to customers, as well as a small store stocking stationery equipment and convenience items. 

The store has been purchased by an established postmaster who already owns two post offices in the region and has plans to expand the convenience offering with a potential extension to the shop floor. 

Christie's said 

“The incoming owner has an excellent opportunity to extend the current building to the rear and offer a greater variety of convenience goods. Despite there being close competition on this front, the Post Office should continue to drive footfall into the store and therefore, providing that the offerings are competitively priced, there should be a rise in sales on the convenience side of the business."

I make no criticism of either Christie's or the previous owner, but I wonder if anybody knew then of Royal Mail's intention to provide facilities which will undoubtedly have an impact on the postal footfall to the business. 

Because according to Google maps, the postbox hadn't been converted in April:

Holmewood PO, Google maps April 2025, with knitted topper on postbox.

And this is not all.

Royal Mail owners IDS proudly proclaimed on 30 September.

IDS acquires stake in Collect+ to strengthen Royal Mail’s position as UK’s largest out of home parcel point network

International Distribution Services, owner of Royal Mail, has acquired a 49% stake in Collect+, marking a major milestone in the company’s multi-channel strategy to make collecting, sending and returning parcels as convenient as possible. Following the investment, almost 8,000 Collect+ convenience stores will feature  Royal Mail Shop branding.

The new high street brand will be a one stop destination for collecting, sending and returning parcels, selling Royal Mail postage at the shops for the first time and open during extended hours including evenings and weekends. Selling postage over the counter gives customers the option of paying when they get to the shop rather than doing so beforehand online. This service is now live in 500 shops and will be rolled out more widely in the coming months.

Royal Mail and Collect+ first partnered in May 2024 to meet rising consumer demand for convenient parcel drop-off and collection points. Since then, Royal Mail customers have been able to drop-off returns and pre-paid parcels at almost 8,000 Collect+ locations across the UK.

Last month, Vinted became Royal Mail’s first partner to offer its customers collection from the stores. More of Royal Mail’s retail partners will follow soon to offer collection to the shops under the new Royal Mail Shop brand.

The new Royal Mail Shop outlets will fulfil demand for face-to-face parcel services on the high street that are open for extended hours, including during evenings and weekends. They are part of Royal Mail’s rapidly expanded network of almost 24,000 Parcel Points - including 2,000 lockers, 11,500 Post Office branches, 1,200 Royal Mail Customer Service Points and 1,400 parcel postboxes – the largest multi-channel parcel network in the UK.

Sub-postmasters were quick to respond, with the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters calling the move a stab-in-the-back after the long association between Royal Mail and Post Office.  But there would seem to be little that can be done with the Competition and Marketing Authority so far silent on the matter.

I don't normally resort to using AI, but when you do a Google search an AI opinion almost always comes up.  This is what it says about collect+ effect on "post office" branches

Collect+ will have a direct, negative effect on Post Office branches by competing for parcel services, but the Royal Mail's investment in Collect+ will also lead to the rebranding of thousands of convenience stores as "Royal Mail Shops" offering similar services, including parcel drop-off and returns, potentially diverting business from traditional Post Office branches. Royal Mail will also now offer postage over the counter in these Royal Mail Shops and extended opening hours, further challenging Post Offices.   

It seems that the new Royal Mail Shops ex Collect+ will also "sell postage', but we know what that means - pay and drop.  After all, nobody wants to use multiple stamps to send their packages.   And with these shops you can use Royal Mail, Yodel, Amazon, UPS, eBay, DPD, FedEx, DHL, Parcel2Go, Inpost and others. 

Now I must get on and stamp some letters: got to make sure there's a reason for the Universal Service Obligation to send a letter anywhere in the country for 87p.  We have to use our post offices and support the sub-postmasters who have been under so much pressure for the last couple of decades.

UPDATE 31 October.  I'll add links to news stories here with very brief extracts: the problem is nationwide and the postmasters are not happy.

Postmaster hits out at Royal Mail over change to post box - St Helens Star 

Helen Thaker, who has run the Dentons Green branch on Greenfield Road since 2001, claims the change is driving customers away from using Post Office services reducing vital commission-based income.

She stated that she believes the decision reflects a wider breakdown in the relationship between Royal Mail and the Post Office and is “taking the bread and butter” away from post offices.

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Post Office link with Evri for collections from retail premises

This van was spotted collecting from a Dereham OneStop shop.  The shop does not include a Post Office but is an Evri Parcelshop.

We can also post our parcels at some Post Office branches - Dereham's [Crown] Office offers DPD and Evri as well as ParcelForce and Royal Mail.

Post Office Evri electric parcel van

Has anyone else see vans with this livery?

Post Office Ltd have been asked for more details - watch this space. 

UPDATE:

By coincidence Boscombe East PO posted this on X yesterday.

Tweet on X from Boscombe East Post Office 24 June 2025

 

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The Co-op is first retail chain to host Royal Mail parcel lockers

Parcel lockers first announced in January are now being installed in a partnership with the Co-op. From the Royal Mail press release:

Co-op and Royal Mail have signed a partnership to rollout parcel lockers at the convenience retailer’s stores.  The first ones will launch in summer, with plans for lockers at 100 stores.

The lockers will add an additional convenient service for the community at Co-op stores, allowing people to drop off pre-labelled Royal Mail parcels and returns 24/7. Collection will also be available at the lockers soon.

The lockers provide label printing, meaning customers simply need to pay for postage online and print the label by scanning a QR code at the locker, or request a QR code if they are returning a purchase.

The Co-op is the first retail group in the convenience stores sector to host Royal Mail parcel lockers.

George Hayworth, Co-op’s Head of Online Development, said: “We are delighted to partner with Royal Mail, enabling Co-op to further expand its network of safe, secure and convenient parcel lockers. Co-op is focussed on developing added services and enhanced convenience – we aim to have the best small shops, and work to ensure our stores are a convenient destination for a range of services that meet local needs. Including growing our network of lockers to help residents, commuters and time-pressed consumers pick up or return parcels at a time that suits them, quickly, easily and conveniently.”

 

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Proof of posting now available at your local postbox, for parcels with online postage

Press Release 11 March 2025

Royal Mail customers can now use one of the 115,000 postboxes in the UK to drop off smaller parcels and packets and still receive a proof of posting receipt, using the Royal Mail app. The process takes a couple of clicks and takes advantage of GPS and the customer’s phone’s location services to make getting a proof of posting as simple as possible.

 

This new service enhancement has been launched as more and more customers are sending smaller parcels and packets due to the soaring popularity of selling clothes on second-hand fashion marketplaces.

A large proportion of parcels sent by Royal Mail customers fit in a postbox, making it a convenient option for those who have paid for postage online and printed a label, or who have a pre-printed return label. 

Royal Mail offers trusted services, including fully tracked options with next-day delivery. Prices start from as little as £1.55 online for a Second Class large letter or small parcel that fits through the letterbox. 

To use the service customers simply need to open the Royal Mail app, select ‘proof of posting’ and the postbox they are at will appear. They then scan their barcoded label, select ‘post now’ and the customers will receive their proof of posting confirmation message.

Nick Landon, Chief Commercial Officer at Royal Mail, said: “It is really important for customers to be able to prove when and where they posted their items, as well as having convenient drop off locations. This new service ticks both of these boxes.

“We are seeing more and more customers using second hand marketplaces to sell clothing and these items are likely to fit in a postbox. With the convenience of a UK-wide network of 115,000 postboxes located within half a mile of 98 per cent of addresses, customers don’t need to go out of their way to drop off their parcel.”

Royal Mail is rapidly expanding its number of parcel points to meet growing demand as people send and receive more parcels. In December, the company announced it was launching its own locker network, in addition to giving customers access to around 1,200 lockers and 6,500 Collect+ points at convenience stores in the last year.

This is in addition to 1,200 customer service points, 1,200 dedicated parcel postboxes and access to the Post Office’s 11,500 branches.

I can't wait to try it next time I have a small Amazon return!

 

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Denmark's Postal Service won't deliver letters after 30 December 2025.

Danish Post Box

According to an announcement on it's website, Denmark's state-run postal service, PostNord, is to end all letter deliveries at the end of 2025.   Letter numbers have fallen since the start of the century from 1.4 billion to 110 million last year.

Press Release

PostNord will deliver its final letter in Denmark at the end of 2025 and focus its business on one core service from 2026: Parcels. Our goal is to become the Danes' preferred parcel courier. We want to be the very best where Danes need us - and that's in parcels.

Danes have become more and more digital, and what was once sent by letter is now received digitally by the vast majority of people. This means that there are very few letters left in Denmark. In fact, letter volumes have decreased by over 90 percent since 2000, and the volume of letters continues to decrease rapidly.

On the other hand, Danes are shopping online like never before. This means, that there is a growing need for fast and good delivery of Danish parcels, and we at PostNord are well equipped to help. That's why we're now focusing on becoming even better where Danes need us most - on parcels.

What this means for you

In the short term, this will not affect you - we will continue to deliver letters as you know it for the rest of the year. From 2026, this means that you will no longer be able to send and receive letters with PostNord in Denmark.

If you need to send basic letters (Letters, Business Letters, Direct Mail and Magazine Mail), it must be handed in to us by 18 December 2025. The last day to hand in Quick Letters, Registered Letters, Letters with Return Receipt and Postal Services is 29 December 2025. We will deliver the last letters on December 30 2025.

We've made sure that all postal labels purchased in 2024 - or to be purchased in 2025 - can be refunded for a limited time in 2026 if you don't use them in 2025. We'll let you know more about how you can do this as soon as possible.

On 1 June 2025, we will begin removing the 1,500 mailboxes that are currently located around the country. We expect all mailboxes to be removed no later than 31 December 2025. The mailboxes that have not been removed can still be used. It will be marked on each mailbox well in advance when it will be removed.

From the FAQs

- You can send letters to and from abroad with PostNord for the rest of the year. PostNord Denmark has been appointed by the Ministry of Transport to handle international mail until 31 December 2025. After that, it will be up to the Ministry of Transport to decide, e.g. through a tender, who will handle the task in the future.  

- Throughout 2025, you will receive letters as usual with PostNord, but from 1 January 2026, it will no longer be PostNord, but other actors on the market, who delivers letters to Danes.

(PostNord's 29 krone inland letter rate has been undercut by an new parcel operator which also handles letters, for a still high 23 krone (£2.59). But since 2024 stamps could only be used on international, not inland mail.  The value of collections of Danish stamps has plummeted and if you like well produced colourful stamps as a sideline, now would be an opportunity to provide a mint collection for a fraction of the catalogue prices. Collectors and dealers will be feeling mightily disgruntled!)

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Joint Royal Mail / Evri parcel locker box at Swindon

Last month I wrote about the new Royal Mail lockers provided from Ukraine.   BM has supplied some photographs of the similar Evri/Royal Mail lockers at Kingshill in Swindon. 

Joint Royal Mail/Evri Parcel locker

 

This is his description of the box:

It allows Evri customers to drop off and collect parcels – printing labels if necessary.  Royal Mail customers only have the option to drop off but need to have the label affixed already.

The process is:

Choose drop off on opening screen

 

Scan barcode (or enter manually).   This then establishes it is Royal Mail and reminds you not to post prohibited items.

You are then invited to enter your email address to enable a proof of posting to be sent

You then choose the size of locker you require.  (Sometimes one or more option is greyed out if all of the ones of that size are full)

Door opens.

After placing item in locker and closing door, screen asks you to confirm all is well and the process is complete.

Sadly a further nail in the coffin of stamp use, though.

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Royal Mail 24/7 Locker Boxes sourced in Ukraine by-pass Post Office branch pick-up

Press Release 12 December 2024

Royal Mail launches its own lockers in next phase of expansion

Royal Mail has launched its own lockers as part of its strategy to rapidly expand its number of parcel points to meet growing demand from online shoppers and marketplace sellers.

The first 250 lockers which can be used exclusively by Royal Mail customers will be rolled out in early 2025, with the first now live outside the company’s historic Mount Pleasant mail centre in London.

The lockers will provide 24/7 access in convenient, high footfall locations, which will include spaces outside of Royal Mail’s delivery offices plus third-party retailers.

Initially, the lockers will offer a parcel sending service including label printing, to support the increasing number of people selling clothing and other items on secondhand marketplaces, as well as traditional online shoppers sending returns. Customers will also be able to collect their parcels from Royal Mail lockers in the near future.

Royal Mail began a major expansion of its parcel points earlier this year to offer customers more choice as parcel demand continues to grow, as part of a wider programme of modernisation.

Through partnerships, Royal Mail customers can drop off parcels at 1,000 shared lockers and more than 5,000 Collect+ points convenience stores.

The launch of Royal Mail’s own lockers is the first time the company is providing access to dedicated lockers available only for its customers, which will improve capacity and customer service as well as enabling greater control over where they’re rolled out.

Royal Mail Locker-box at Mount Pleasant Mail Centre, London

According to dev.ua 13 December 2024

The Ukrainian-Polish company Modern Expo announced the start of cooperation with the Royal Mail, for which it provided postal equipment and software to them.

"Modern Expo successfully implemented the first major stage of cooperation with the Royal Mail - in less than 3 months... Together we held dozens of individual meetings and workshops, during which we discussed product design, analyzed locations, talked about customer care, UX/UI, etc. The cooperation also included a visit to the production of Modern Expo and installation visits to other existing markets to ensure that each part meets each detail with international standards," the company said.

The Modern Expo added that the company cooperates with the Royal Mail as a turnkey resolution and, in addition to mailboxes and software, also provides comprehensive support for these solutions. (See specification here.)

In turn, the British newspaper The Telegraph writes that the Royal Mail is thus trying to intensify its competition with Amazon in this segment.

According to the publication, the first 250 post offices will be put into operation in early 2025. The first of them is already opened outside the Royal Mail Mount Pleasant postal center in Clerkenwell, the center of London.

The locations will have round-the-clock access for customers who will pick up parcels. The publication also adds that the Royal Mail is trying to focus on developing parcel delivery amid a long and large-scale reduction in the number of letters sent.

Modern Expo was founded Pole Bohdan Lukasik and Ukrainian Petro Pylypiuk.

UPDATE 10 May 2025  Royal Mail uses parcel lockers to raise awareness of life saving CPR training

Royal Mail is helping to save lives by using its parcel locker network to raise awareness of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training. This is part of wider partnership with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) which has so far seen Royal Mail raise £1m for community defibrillators.

Image: Royal Mail

 

The first CPR awareness parcel locker is now live in East Ham, London, and hundreds more will be rolled out this year.

The locker features the BHF logo and a QR code with the message ‘scan to learn CPR in 15 minutes.’ The QR code takes users to the RevivR home page , the BHF’s free online course which teaches people how to perform CPR in just 15 minutes.

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