Greetings card group fears end of second-class stamp

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Members of the UK’s Greeting Card Association have voiced concerns that Royal Mail is ignoring views of small and medium-sized businesses and their consumers.

And an Edinburgh firm has called for Royal Mail to maintain its "universal service obligation" as the mail group raised the price of a first class stamp from £1.35 to £1.65 – described as "an inflation-busting 22 per cent increase that’s the fifth hike in fewer than three years".

A first-class stamp is now almost twice the price of a second class stamp, which remains affordable at 85p because it has the protection of being pegged to inflation by regulator Ofcom.

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The UK’s Greeting Card Association, which represents over 500 publishers, retailers, agents, specialist suppliers and distributors in an industry worth £1.5bn to the UK economy, said it feared the rise was part of a plan to "kill off" the more affordable second-class stamp for good.

More thought needs to be given to the quality and affordability of Royal Mail services, rather than profits alone. That’s the call being made by Paper Tiger, a design-led Edinburgh business which sells cards (such as the one pictured above), stationery, wrap and gifts products from artists across the UKMore thought needs to be given to the quality and affordability of Royal Mail services, rather than profits alone. That’s the call being made by Paper Tiger, a design-led Edinburgh business which sells cards (such as the one pictured above), stationery, wrap and gifts products from artists across the UK
More thought needs to be given to the quality and affordability of Royal Mail services, rather than profits alone. That’s the call being made by Paper Tiger, a design-led Edinburgh business which sells cards (such as the one pictured above), stationery, wrap and gifts products from artists across the UK

That’s because Ofcom and Royal Mail last month announced plans to chop the second class post down to three or even two days a week – and ending Saturday second class deliveries.

Undermine

The GCA believes that move will seriously undermine consumer trust in the service, leaving the small businesses they represent fearing the service will be wound down – and if it is, it will leave them and the consumers they serve, with no option but to use an unregulated, high price first-class stamp for important cards and letters that need to be delivered on time.

Owners of thriving online greeting card businesses are concerned about this.

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More thought needs to be given to the quality and affordability of Royal Mail services, rather than profits alone. That’s the view of Paper Tiger, a design-led Edinburgh business which sells cards, stationery, wrap and gifts products from artists across the UK.

The firm is based in Edinburgh and has been thriving thanks to the quality of Royal Mail services since it was founded in 1981.

Michael Apter, managing director at Paper Tiger, said“Royal Mail should be maintaining their universal service obligations.

"A lot of the proposals being suggested that could come into place could be very damaging for small businesses. We need to be able to rely on a service that runs six days a week at a price that is affordable to its customers.”

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