Royal Mail has unveiled a significant redesign to its classic red postboxes, marking the most substantial change in 175 years. The postal service is introducing 3,500 solar-powered “postboxes of the future” after a successful trial earlier this year. These new boxes will feature a barcode scanner that opens a drop-down drawer for parcels, powered by strategically positioned solar panels to maximize sunlight exposure. Customers will be able to send and receive labeled parcels up to the size of a shoebox with this innovative design.
Additionally, the new postboxes will maintain a separate slot for mailing letters. Customers can utilize the Royal Mail app to request proof of posting and track their mail. Following a pilot in Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire in April, the redesigned postboxes are now being rolled out across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Initial installations are planned for cities such as Edinburgh, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield, and Sunderland.
Royal Mail is also expanding its network of parcel points, offering more than 23,500 locations for sending, returning, and collecting parcels. These include 2,000 lockers, 7,500 Collect+ stores, 11,500 Post Office branches, 1,200 Royal Mail Customer Service Points, and 1,400 parcel postboxes.
Jack Clarkson, Managing Director of Out of Home and Commercial Excellence at Royal Mail, emphasized the increasing volume of parcel shipments, driven by the growing trend of online shopping and second-hand marketplaces. With over 115,000 postboxes in the UK situated within half a mile of 98% of addresses, Royal Mail postboxes remain the most convenient network of parcel drop-off points in the country.
Furthermore, Royal Mail has received approval from Ofcom to adjust its delivery schedule for second-class post, now being delivered on alternate weekdays instead of six days a week, excluding Saturdays. Despite this change, Royal Mail aims to maintain a target of delivering second-class letters within three working days. First-class post will continue to be delivered six days a week.
Ofcom estimates that the reduction in second-class deliveries could save Royal Mail between £250 million and £425 million. This decision is not only a cost-saving measure but also aligns with the decline in letter volumes delivered to UK households, dropping from 20 billion twenty years ago to 6.6 billion presently.