News

Royal Mail's proposals for zonal business post pricing has come under renewed fire from the magazine industry.

Royal Mail last week called for changes to its pricing structure, which would include dropping its obligation to offer a single price to deliver franked business post to any address in the UK.

But the Periodical Publishers' Association (PPA) said the proposals would increase the cost of magazine delivery in London by 2.5%, on top of a 10% hike already due in April this year.

The organisation passed Royal Mail's proposal off as "benefiting no-one but Royal Mail, and hugely damaging the magazine industry."

Keith Jones, managing director of Reed Business Information and chair of PPA's postal strategy group, said: "As usual, Royal Mail's latest plan to increase prices further came without warning, let alone any discussion. Sadly, publishers are getting used to this approach."

The proposals, which include a 6p rise in the cost of a first-class stamp, have also been lambasted by PostComm, but have met with some sympathy from direct mail printers.

- Leicester-based management consultancy firm Haybrooke Associates has launched a postal cost calculator for print firms. The software costs £495.

Got a view on this story? Email letters.printweek@haymarket.com