Royal Mail is adding barcodes to a limited number of 2nd Class stamps from March 23rd, as part of the Company’s extensive modernisation drive. The unique barcodes are poised to pave the way for innovative customer services and benefits in future.
The initial pilot will see the new-look barcodes appear on around 20 million 2nd Class stamps supplied to UK businesses through the retailer Viking Direct and through Royal Mail online channels.
The barcodes, which will match the stamp colour, will sit alongside the main body of the stamp, separated by a simulated perforation line.
The initiative forms part of Royal Mail’s ongoing modernisation drive aimed at bringing even greater convenience to its customers.
In October, Royal Mail launched a parcel pick-up service across the UK in a shake-up of the daily round. Parcel Collect has enabled postmen and postwomen to collect parcels and returns from customers for a small fee while they carry out their daily round. As well as offering even higher levels of convenience, the move enables online sellers and online shoppers to mail or return a pre-paid item by post from the comfort of their own home.
Nick Landon, Chief Commercial Officer at Royal Mail, said: “This initiative will see Royal Mail become one of the first postal authorities in the world to add unique barcodes to stamps. By doing this, we are looking to transform the humble stamp so that we can offer our customers even more convenient, new services in the future. Royal Mail has a long and proud history for creating innovative and intuitive postal solutions. This goes all the way back to the Penny Black which established the principle of the one-price-goes-anywhere universal service – to the recent launch of Parcel Collect – where we pick up our customers’ parcels from the doorstep. The pilot of barcoded stamps reflects our commitment to constantly evolve our products and services in line with the ever-changing needs of our customers.”
