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Anne Thomas

Posted 2010-09-05 16:28 (#337)
Subject: Royal Mail Opt out

Extreme Veteran

Posts: 319
100

Posted on behalf of Simon Urry

Soon after moving up here in 2004 I registered with the Royal Mail to “Opt Out” of Junk Mail, ie unaddressed circulars.

Once registered, the opt out period lasts for two years. However after nearly four years I was still “opted out” but chose to refresh the registration, just in case the “landslide” of paper started again.

I understand that Royal Mail receive revenue through delivering circulars and they claim that it helps to subsidise the postal system. Also the posties used to get a fraction of a pence for each item delivered but that has now changed to a flat rate payment.

Recently the maximum count per household increased from three to five items, and in some parts of Englandshire I understand that the count has been increased to seven items.

The posties still get their flat rate, but are “loosing out” because of the additional count.

Also, I understand they still get the flat rate irrespective of the number of opt outs on their round.

So a household registering for “opt out” will not be reducing a posties pay packet.

Please note there are some items that have to be delivered such as government information and election circulars and are not subject to “opt out“.

I also understand that in Fortrose on Monday‘s, the day when junk mail is included, it takes additional time in the local sorting office, and additional time to deliver, delaying the delivery to everyone’s home.

It is sad in this day and age of environmental responsibility that the Royal Mail continue to invite the burden of delivering unsolicited mail to households when those items are binned and in too many cases serve only as landfill, thereby wasting resources and effort that could be better used elsewhere.

It is also a shame that rather than “opting out” there would be a requirement to “opt in”.
I am sure someone, somewhere, has done a finite “cradle to grave” analysis of the production and distribution of junk mail from a cost, energy, and manpower point of view.

Although this move may not be popular with the Royal Mail locally, there is nothing they can do other than to comply with a householders request.

Some years ago a postie in Englandshire encouraged households on his round to opt out, and he lost his job so posties have been intimidated not to “stir it up“.

I am tempted to leave a pile of opt out forms in Fortrose Library for the public to pick up, but I fear that if permitted, the librarians would come under scrutiny from the Highland Council by way of pressure from Royal Mail.
Finally, it would be an achievement if the majority of the Black Isle became a “Junk Mail Free Zone”

The following is a weblink which will explain the pros and cons and offers a PDF attachment of the opt out form itself.

http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=400126&mediaId=50...

Simon

Martin

Posted 2010-09-06 17:38 (#338 - in reply to #337)
Subject: Re: Royal Mail Opt out

Veteran

Posts: 275
100

Anne, thanks for this - prompted us to opt out. We also registered with the Mailing Preference Service to stop most of the addressed junk mail - website is http://www.mpsonline.org.uk .

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