2nd class Royal Mail!

[POSTMAN]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... p-40p.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Customers 'downtrade' to second class stamps after first class prices top 40p

Customers are 'downtrading' from first class to second class stamps after the cost jumped to 41p for the first time last month.

An increasing number of individuals and businesses are paying 32p to send letters by second class instead of stumping up for the premium service, Royal Mail admitted.

The cost of first class stamps rose by 2p last month to break the 40p barrier, despite complaints last year that prices had risen by more than the rate of inflation for three consecutive years.

Donald Brydon, the Royal Mail chairman, said: "Recessionary trading conditions saw many customers posting fewer letters, downtrading from premium services such as First Class to Second."

Customers are increasingly relying on alternative services such as email, text messaging and social networking for their correspondence.

Royal Mail, which published its most recent financial results yesterday, said volumes of post were down by 7.3 per cent overall – the biggest single-year drop in the company's history.

The number of letters and parcels fell to 71 million a day, from a high of 84 million in 2005 – a drop equal to 13 million items a day, or 4.8 billion a year.

The company said the volume of first class post had plunged by 13 per cent over the last year, while second class mail had fallen by 12 per cent.

Performance statistics for first class post were the worst in a decade, after last year's postal strike caused severe delays to deliveries over the course of several months.

Twenty per cent of letters failed to arrive by the next working day, with only 78.8 per cent making the deadline – well below the target rate of 93 per cent.

The financial results, for the year to March 28, showed that Royal Mail made a £262 million loss compared with a profit of £49 million the previous year.

Last year both Age Concern, the charity, and Consumer Focus, the government's postal watchdog, complained when the price of stamps increased by more than the rate of inflation for the third consecutive year.

They argued that older consumers, who relied more heavily on the postal system, rather than email, felt the rise hardest.

[dados]

They argued that older consumers, who relied more heavily on the postal system, rather than email, felt the rise hardest.

Pity,cos RM management don't give a toss about them

[not me]

I dont rut that article,because this

Twenty per cent of letters failed to arrive by the next working day, with only 78.8 per cent making the deadline – well below the target rate of 93 per cent.

makes no mention of strikes causing it

[westlondonpostie]

Once again nothing about about Down Steam Access, and how The European Union is forcing the British public to subsidise private companies ever since the UK Postal Market was opened up to competition,
Until this fiasco is stopped stamp prices will continue to go up.
I'm just amazed that some journo hasn't cottoned on to this, it could be the making of them if they were to investigate it properly!!!

[oypostie]

Customers are 'downtrading' from first class to second class stamps after the cost jumped to 41p for the first time last month.

The company said the volume of first class post had plunged by 13 per cent over the last year, while second class mail had fallen by 12 per cent.

Doesn't look like downtrading to me as the figures are almost identical. Looks more like moving to DSA. Why, oh why arn't our management screaming about this. Couldn't be because they're political appointments by any chance !!!!

[chunk]

Once again nothing about about Down Steam Access, and how The European Union is forcing the British public to subsidise private companies ever since the UK Postal Market was opened up to competition,
Until this fiasco is stopped stamp prices will continue to go up.
I'm just amazed that some journo hasn't cottoned on to this, it could be the making of them if they were to investigate it properly!!!

yes! totally agree.
The bigger picture is that we are still amongst the cheapest stamps in Europe for standard letters,
and the money squandered on the subsidizing of our rivals is putting that at risk.

[pokos27]

And that cursed dsa is allowed, boycott anyone who uses it.

[Lounge Lizard]

Once again nothing about about Down Steam Access, and how The European Union is forcing the British public to subsidise private companies ever since the UK Postal Market was opened up to competition,
Until this fiasco is stopped stamp prices will continue to go up.
I'm just amazed that some journo hasn't cottoned on to this, it could be the making of them if they were to investigate it properly!!!

yes! totally agree.
The bigger picture is that we are still amongst the cheapest stamps in Europe for standard letters,
and the money squandered on the subsidizing of our rivals is putting that at risk.

Precisely. And someone on the minimum wage of £5.93 and hour has to work three-and-a-quarter minutes to earn the 32p to post a letter anywhere in the country. and, of all that's wrong with this country, that's what the Torygraph has to have a moan about.