Royal Mail is making a major change to fees today ahead of the Christmas surcharge being brought in for the ‘busiest time of the year’.
A series of changes are being introduced from today, with surcharges of 2p, 5p and 10p coming into force in stages throughout this month.
While they mostly apply to business account customers, experts are warning that the effects could be felt by consumers if businesses have to increase prices to cover the additional costs.
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It all begins with a new 2p green surcharge, which starts today (Monday 6 November) and is designed to fund the Royal Mail’s decarbonisation measures.
This will apply against:
- Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 9am, 1pm and end of the day Sunday
- Royal Mail Tracked 24 and Royal Mail Tracked 48
- Royal Mail 24 and Royal Mail 48
- Special Delivery Guaranteed Returns
- Royal Mail Tracked Returns
However, later this month, business account customers will also have to pay an additional surcharge of 5p for letters, and 10p for parcels.
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It is expected that these charges will come into effect on 20 November and end on 7 January, covering the peak period for Christmas delivery times.
The 5p peak surcharge will apply against:
- Royal Mail 24 and Royal Mail 48 large letters
- Royal Mail Tracked 24 letterboxable products sent by business account holders
- Royal Mail Tracked 48 letterboxable products sent by business account holders
The 10p peak surcharge will apply against:
- Royal Mail 24
- Royal Mail 48 Parcels
- Royal Mail Tracked 24
- Royal Mail Tracked 48 Parcels
- Royal Mail Tracked Returns
- Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 9am, 1pm and end of the day Sunday
- Special Delivery Guaranteed Returns
A number of experts have warned that the price hikes could end up being felt by shoppers, despite only being aimed at business account holders.
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Sarah Coles, personal finance analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, told The Sun: "Online retailers are having to contend with rising prices on all sides, so they’re highly unlikely to take these extra charges on the chin.
"It’s going to be passed onto shoppers, who can expect to see the cost of Christmas keep on rising.”
Andrew Hagger, personal finance expert at Moneycomms, added that the possibility of additional costs is the ‘last thing hard pressed consumers need’.
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A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "Christmas is our busiest time of year and we invest in thousands of additional staff, more vehicles and additional parcel sorting sites to manage around double the normal volumes of parcels.
"Other parcel carriers already apply a similar surcharge during the Christmas period."
Jess Hardiman