Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with Royal Mail on the (a) forthcoming introduction by Royal Mail of barcoded postage stamps and (b) invalidation of non-barcoded stamps on 1 February 2023.

Ministers and officials meet with Royal Mail regularly to discuss a range of issues in relation to its role as the universal postal service provider. The development of barcoded stamp products as well as the invalidation of non-barcoded stamps is not covered by requirements in postal legislation and so is an operational matter for Royal Mail, which is a private company. The Government is not involved in Royal Mail’s operational or commercial decisions.

Royal Mail launched a ‘Swap Out’ scheme for regular non-barcoded stamps on 31 March 2022 and has clarified that special issue and Christmas stamps will continue to be valid and will not need to be swapped out.

Royal Mail has also set out that there is currently no end date for when customers can swap their stamps meaning that this option can be accessed after 31 January 2023.

It is Royal Mail’s responsibility to ensure its customers are aware of the introduction of barcoded stamps and the arrangements for exchanging old stamps. Further information about its plans for barcoded stamps is available on Royal Mail’s website: www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps.