Royal Mail has introduced a new high-tech, solar-powered mailbox designed to accept parcels and scan barcoded postage, marking the biggest change to U.K. mailbox design in more than 175 years.
The revamped mailbox features a chequered black lid – actually a solar panel – that powers a built-in barcode scanner and an extra-large hatch for parcel drop-offs. Customers can scan their code to open the drawer and receive digital proof of posting through the Royal Mail app.
The innovation responds to shifting postal trends: While letter volumes continue to decline, online second-hand marketplaces like Vinted are fuelling record levels of parcel traffic. Royal Mail aims to modernize its network to support the growing demand for parcel delivery, with potential plans to upgrade thousands of its 115,000 mailboxes if the pilot proves successful. Only five prototypes are currently in use in parts of Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire.
The announcement comes as Royal Mail’s parent company, International Distribution Services, prepares for a £3.57 billion sale to Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský’s EP Group. Simultaneously, the company is navigating proposed changes to U.K. postal service regulations, including reducing second-class delivery to alternate days while introducing stricter delivery-time targets for first- and second-class mail.
In its response to consultations with the U.K.’s Office of Communications, the Royal Mail warned that the proposed changes could drive up operational costs and stamp prices. It is also advocating for the ability to offer tracking on all first- and second-class parcels, rather than requiring customers to pay extra for tracked service. The cost of a first-class stamp in the U.K. recently rose by five pence to £1.70, while the second-class rate increased to 87 pence.